The Independent
·12 November 2024
The Independent
·12 November 2024
Chelsea head to Celtic on Wednesday looking to keep their 100 per cent Women’s Champions League record intact against a side who are pointless from their opening two matches (8pm, DAZN).
The Blues, who won their fifth consecutive WSL title in May, have continued where they left off with eight wins from their opening eight games, despite the departure of manager Emma Hayes.
Things couldn’t have gone better for new boss Sonia Bompastor with her side top of the Champions League Group B table and second in the WSL, one point behind the leaders Manchester City but with a game in hand.
This form and the fact that Bompastor has won the competition both as a player and a manager with Lyon, has seen betting sites install the Blues as third favourites to win the title at odds of 11/2.
It would be a first European title for Chelsea after falling short in the semi-finals last season. Defending champions Barcelona are 11/8 to retain their crown, while last year’s runners-up Lyon are priced at 4/1.
After coming close in recent years, Bompastor has a challenge steering her side to their maiden European title, but a win over Celtic would be another step in the right direction.
So far in the tournament Chelsea have beaten Real Madrid and FC Twente, scoring three times in both games to take their tally of goals scored so far to 29 from just eight games in all competitions.
They have also only conceded six times and four of them have come in this competition, but the statistics still suggest that it’s going to be a tough night for a Celtic side who are yet to score and have conceded six.
Celtic’s league form is unsurprisingly much better but they are only fourth in the SWPL table with nine wins, two draws and one defeat so far.
They sit two points behind the league leaders Glasgow City, whose only defeat so far came at the hands of Celtic in August, when Chloe Craig scored the only goal from the penalty spot.
Elena Sadiku’s side became the first Scottish side to qualify for the group stage, folllowing wins in the qualifying stage over Finnish side KuPS Kuopio, FC Gintra of Lithuania and Ukranian outfit Vorskla 3-0 on aggregate.
Having lost both of their opening matches of the group stage to FC Twente and Real Madrid respectively, Celtic are facing a premature exit from the competition unless they can produce a quick turnaround, starting with the visit of the Blues.
Football betting sites are not optimistic regarding their chances on Wednesday, offering 66/1 on them winning at Celtic Park and just 1/40 on Chelsea taking all three points, with a draw at 16/1.
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 20 group matches, winning 14 and drawing five. Guro Reiten has been one of the key players responsible for Chelsea’s excellent start to the season.
The Norway international has scored four goals in six WSL games this season, including two in her last two in thumping wins over Everton and Liverpool. Those four WSL goals have come from just 18 shots on target, highlighting her accuracy in the final third.
Reiten has also been on point in Chelsea’s last four Champions League group fixtures, including two in two this term. She scored from the penalty spot in both victories over Madrid and Twente.
You can get 9/2 on her scoring first or last on betting apps, or 20/21 on her scoring any time for a safer option.
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