'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea will square off against Celtic in a pre-season friendly on Saturday. This is the second friendly of the pre-season for the Blues while the Scottish side play for the fifth time in this pre-season.
The Blues played their first friendly of the season on Thursday. Goals from Christopher Nkunku and Lesley Ugochukwu helped them play out a 2-2 draw. It was the first game for new coach Enzo Maresca in which he named Reece James as the team captain.
The defending Scottish Premiership champions have enjoyed an unbeaten run in the pre-season thus far, recording three wins in four games. In their previous outing, they registered a 4-3 win over Manchester City earlier this week.
Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn bagged a first-half brace while Kyogo Furuhashi was on the score sheet late in the first half. Luis Palma bagged the match-winner in the 68th minute, 11 minutes after Erling Haaland had equalized for City.
Chelsea vs Celtic Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The Blues have met a Scottish side just twice in all competitions, with those meetings coming against Greenock Morton FC in the erstwhile UEFA Cup in 1969. They won both meetings and registered a 9-3 on aggregate.
- Chelsea have just one win in their last five friendlies, with the last two ending in draws.
- Celtic are unbeaten in their last seven friendlies, recording five wins. They have suffered just one loss in their last 11 friendlies.
- The reigning Scottish Premiership champions have scored 14 goals in their last three friendlies and have conceded seven goals in these games as well.
- The Bhoys have 13 wins in their 32 meetings against English teams while suffering just eight defeats.
Chelsea vs Celtic Prediction
The Blues played their first pre-season friendly earlier this week and had a decent outing as they played out a 2-2 draw. Maresca fielded a young squad in that match with Raheem Sterling starting from the bench. He is likely to start here.
The Hoops have won their last three friendlies on the trot, scoring 14 goals, and will look to build on that form. Brendan Rodgers has fielded a strong squad in these friendlies thus far and is likely to stick with a similar starting XI in this match. This is their final pre-season friendly and they will look to sign off on a positive note.
There is nothing much at stake in this friendly and both teams will look to avoid injuries. With that in mind and considering their goalscoring form in the pre-season, a draw is likely to ensue.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Celtic
Chelsea vs Celtic Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least one goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Kyogo Furuhashi to score or assist any time - Yes
