Celtic face Dinamo Zagreb shortly in the UEFA Champions League. Brendan Rodgers’ side can take a step towards qualification for the next phase if they were to register a win against the Croatian Champions on Matchday Six of Europe’s elite competition…

Celtic Team News

Celtic have no injury concerns from the weekend and it was clear that the manager was shuffling the pack with this game in mind along with Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup Final. Celtic may well have looked a bit more suspect at the back on Saturday but the return of Cameron Carter-Vickes will look to solidify the backline and keep the hosts out.

Carter-Vickers, who was on the bench on Saturday, is likely to replace Liam Scales to start alongside Auston Trusty with Greg Taylor and Alistair Johnston at fullback. The Celtic manager will likely restore Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate to the midfield trio. The pair appear to be the manager’s preferred pairing alongside Callum McGregor in the heart of the midfield. Kyogo is likely to start through the middle with Nicolas Kühn and Daizen Maeda out wide.

Celtic starting XI: Schmeichel; Taylor, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Johnston; McGregor, Hatate, Bernardo; Maeda, Kyogo, Kühn.

📋 #UCL Team News

Here's how we line up for Matchday 6! 🔢
#DinamoZagrebCeltic | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/KzcXPJNoBz

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 10, 2024

Manager’s View

Some of Brendan’s pre-match thoughts….

“We’re a very ambitious team and we go into every game to win it. We respect the opponent, but we arrive here with confidence and we know we have to put the work in.

“Every team has big talents and Croatia has always produced good technical players, but we’ve shown we can be really competitive in all aspects so we’re looking forward to the challenge.

“You can see from how I’ve been rotating the team that I have a real trust in our squad. The last time we played Saturday-Tuesday we played Leipzig and we were brilliant that evening. We have a squad that I feel I can pick any team and the quality is there, the structure is there, and likewise, if we need to make changes I know I can bring players in and keep the intensity and the quality.

“If you can pick up seven points in the Champions League you are a really good side,” he explained. At this level, no matter what teams may do in their league format, you know the Champions League gives teams an extra motivation. So we are prepared for a really difficult game but we want to make it difficult for them also.”

Match Officials

Felix Zwayer has been appointed as referee and the German will be assisted by compatriots Robert Kempter and Christian Dietz with Florian Badstübner fourth official. Meanwhile Sascha Stegemann is on VAR with Johann Pieifer assisting.