Celtic have already settled their place in this Europa group and will drop down into the Europa Conference League next year after finishing third in Group G.
Ange Postecoglou may well use the game tonight against Real Betis to give some of his fringe players a run-out in a dead rubber game. With injuries mounting for the Celtic boss ahead of a glut of domestic games and a cup final this month it makes no sense to risk any big stars.
That been said, Celtic are not exactly a club with the luxury of two teams. The manager will have a balancing act with his team selection tonight but I think most fans are happy to see an alternate team being named.
With both teams just released, this is how the Celts line up tonight:
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? Our official #CELRBB line-up ✅
#UEL | #COYBIG ? pic.twitter.com/XwBOHpCATP— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 9, 2021
Ange has gone all-in with his team rotation tonight. This might be a nothing game in terms of the table position but it is a chance for a lot of these players to push their way into a shallow squad with a mountain of games looming.
Real Betis’ 4-3 victory against Celtic on MD1 is the only previous meeting between these sides in European competition. It’s one of nine occasions in which Real Betis have conceded 3+ goals in a single match in Europe, but the only time they’ve won.
Only Bayer Leverkusen have generated more shots following high turnovers (sequences beginning within 40+ metres of the opposition goal) than Celtic in the UEFA Europa League this season (10). Ange Postecoglou’s side is one of only four teams to have made 50+ high turnovers overall this term.
