Celtic vs Young Boys Predictions

Celtic vs Young Boys predictions for Wednesday’s Champions League clash. Celtic host bottom-side Young Boys on Wednesday, aiming to secure a Champions League playoff spot in their penultimate league phase match. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.

Champions League | League Stage | Jan 22, 2025 at 8pm UK at Celtic Park

Celtic vs Young Boys Predictions

Can Celtic Keep Their Champions League Hopes Alive Against Hapless Young Boys?

• Celtic’s Fortress: Celtic have won their last five home games across all competitions, with four of those victories coming without conceding a goal.
• Young Boys’ Defensive Woes: The Swiss side have shipped an eye-watering 22 goals in just six Champions League matches this season, the worst in the competition.
• Goalkeeper’s Nightmare: Young Boys’ keepers have conceded, on average, a goal every 33 minutes in this year’s tournament.

Our Tips

Under the bright lights of Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers’s men are preparing for what should, on paper, be a relatively straightforward clash against a woefully out-of-sorts Young Boys side. Yet, as any seasoned football fan knows, no match is won before the whistle blows. The stakes could hardly be higher for Celtic, who are just one win away from potentially sealing their place in the Champions League knockout playoff round. The visitors, however, have little but pride left to play for, languishing at the bottom of the standings without a single point to their name.

Celtic, despite suffering a humbling 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund earlier in the campaign, have displayed commendable resilience. Unbeaten in their last four European games, they have shown enough grit and determination to stay in the hunt for a coveted playoff berth. Their most recent exploits include a hard-fought draw against Dinamo Zagreb and a dominant home victory over RB Leipzig, demonstrating that they are more than capable of rising to the occasion when it matters. Meanwhile, Young Boys are enduring a nightmare campaign, having not only failed to collect a single point but also leaking a staggering 22 goals in six matches. The task awaiting their new manager, Giorgio Contini, in this match is daunting, to say the least.

Wednesday evening offers a sharp contrast between two sides whose European journeys have taken radically different trajectories. Celtic are eyeing glory, while Young Boys appear to be marching towards one of the most forgettable campaigns in Champions League history. With all that said, let’s break down where the value lies in this match.

Best Bet: Celtic to Win to Nil

Backing Celtic to win without conceding looks the standout bet for this encounter. Brendan Rodgers’s side have been rock-solid at home, going unbeaten at Celtic Park throughout 2024 and winning their last five games on the trot at this hallowed ground. Even more impressively, four of those victories came without conceding a single goal. In contrast, Young Boys are not just bad – they are historically bad in this competition. The Swiss side have yet to score an away goal in this season’s Champions League, and their defence has been as porous as a sponge, conceding a competition-worst 22 goals.

The key factor here is Celtic’s defensive structure, particularly on home turf. Cameron Carter-Vickers has been a commanding presence at the back, while the full-backs – Alistair Johnston and Greg Taylor – provide not just defensive stability but also width and creativity going forward. The midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Matt O’Riley, and Reo Hatate have provided balance and composure, ensuring that Celtic dominate the middle of the park in most games. Up front, Kyogo Furuhashi has the clinical edge to punish a frail Young Boys backline, which has been leaking goals at an alarming rate.

Young Boys’ attack has been toothless, with Cedric Itten offering little as a lone striker. They have scored just three goals in six matches and are bereft of ideas when it comes to breaking down disciplined defensive units. To compound their misery, they are missing key players in Saidy Janko and Miguel Chaiwa, further weakening their already fragile squad. Their goalkeeper situation is also in flux, with Marvin Keller likely to start over the underperforming David von Ballmoos – but let’s be honest, even the most in-form keeper would struggle behind such a disorganised defence.

Our BettingTips4You.com expert, Herrin Kendrick, summarised it perfectly: “Celtic’s home form and Young Boys’ attacking struggles make this an easy call. A clean sheet win for the hosts feels inevitable, barring an act of divine intervention.”

Given the Bhoys’ imperious form at home and Young Boys’ shocking record both in defence and attack, a Celtic win to nil seems a sensible and logical play. The odds may not be particularly high, but sometimes the obvious bet is the right one.

Correct Score Prediction: Celtic 3-0 Young Boys

A 3-0 scoreline seems the most plausible outcome here, aligning with the dynamics of both teams. Celtic have been a force to be reckoned with at Celtic Park, scoring freely while keeping things tight at the back. Their last home Champions League outing, a 3-1 win over RB Leipzig, showed their ability to create and capitalise on chances against much tougher opposition than Young Boys.

Young Boys, meanwhile, have been nothing short of shambolic in this competition. Their defensive frailties make it hard to imagine they will contain Celtic’s attacking trident of Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, and Sead Hakšabanović. While the visitors might try to adopt a more defensive stance under their new manager, the sheer gap in quality between the two sides is likely to render such tactics futile.

What’s more, Celtic have an extra incentive here. Scoring three goals would not only secure three points but also take their tally of home goals in the competition to double figures – a mark they haven’t reached in over half a century. Expect the hosts to push for this milestone, especially if they go up by a couple of goals early on. Meanwhile, Young Boys’ lack of creativity and inability to convert chances means that scoring even once seems beyond their reach.

The reasoning is simple: Celtic have too much to play for, too much firepower, and too much quality. Young Boys, on the other hand, are out of their depth. A professional and dominant 3-0 victory for Rodgers’s men feels like the natural outcome.

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