Prediction: Celtic to win 3-0
Best Odds: 11/2
Bookmaker: Zetbet
Aberdeen and Celtic will lock horns with each other in the Scottish Premiership next weekend. The match between Jimmy Thelin’s side and Brendan Rodgers’s team will be held at the Pittodrie Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 12:30pm UK time next Sunday.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen are one of the biggest clubs in Scotland and will be determined to do much better than they did last season. The Dons finished as low as fifth in the Scottish Premiership table, and the fans will demand better.
Jimmy Thelin’s side won the Scottish Cup last season after beating Celtic on penalties, and Aberdeen will look to build on that this campaign.
Thelin said ahead of the start of the new league campaign: “When you are in this competitive game, you have to celebrate the victory with all your friends and the staff and the players, the supporters, and enjoy it.
“But now it’s back again to another season and you have to leave it behind and focus on another season.
“It was a great summer, but now we’re looking forward to a new season.”
The Aberdeen boss added: “Of course you always want to have that but it’s a thing you have to evolve and it’s different parts.
”One way is to be even better connected as a team of course and improving other things, how we are when we are under pressure, when sometimes it’s not always the perfect game but try to stay in the game and win the games anyway.
“There’s a lot of things we have gone through of course and identified we have to be better at.”
Team News:
Aberdeen are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Celtic. Mitov will be in goal for the home team and will have Jensen, Milne, Knoester and Shinnie in front of him in defence. Palaversa and Clarkson will be the two holding midfielders. Morris, Aouchiche and Keskinen will be deployed in attacking midfield. Yengi will lead the line for Aberdeen.
Celtic
Celtic have been the dominant force in Scotland for a number of years now and will head into the new campaign as firm favourites for the Scottish Premiership title. Although Rangers are expected to challenge, the title is for the Hoops to lose.
Brendan Rodgers’s side are defending champions and have made six new signings in the summer transfer window, although half of them have been on free transfers.
Rodgers said ahead of the start of the new season: “We have gaps in the squad that are very clear.
“I have to convince the board to really push to get the players in that we really need.
“Clearly, I’m not doing that job well enough, but I will continue to push and hopefully we can get the players in by the end of the transfer window.”
“When you lose important players, you want to fill those gaps,” the former Liverpool manager added.
“That attacking department is the strength of my team. It always will be.
“We were very, very good last year in that front in terms of both the score and both the creativity.
“I’m fairly confident that we will do the business that will fill those gaps and with the necessary quality that’s needed to keep the team moving forward, because that’s what we all want.
“That’s what the supporters want. They want to see a team that’s exciting and that can dominate games and really attack games and that’s our goal.
“I’m quite experienced as a manager so you tend to not get so frustrated, you become more philosophical about it.
“You learn through experience that you can only really focus on what you have.
“I think I’ve made it clear in terms of what it is we need within our squad so my focus really goes on the players that are here. The players are in a great place.”
Team News:
Celtic are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation against Aberdeen. Schmeichel will be in goal for the Hoops and will have Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty and Tierney in front of him in defence. Nygren, McGregor and Hatate will be the three players in midfield. Yang, Idah and Maeda will be the three forwards.
Key Factors to Consider
- Aberdeen scored 48 goals in 38 Scottish Premiership games in the 2024-25 campaign.
- Aberdeen conceded 61 goals in 38 Scottish Premiership games in the 2024-25 campaign.
- Celtic lost just 4 of their 38 Scottish Premiership matches last season.
- Celtic scored 112 goals in 38 Scottish Premiership matches last season.
- Celtic conceded only 26 goals in 38 Scottish Premiership matches last season.
Conclusion
Celtic have the best squad in Scotland and will start the new season as favourites to win the Scottish Premiership title. While Aberdeen are a force to be reckoned with and are at home for the match, it is unlikely that the Hoops will slip up.
Prediction: Celtic to win 3-0
Best Odds: 11/2
Bookmaker: Zetbet
