Celtic are firm favourites to kick start their Champions League campaign with a win over Slovan Bratislava and on current form they look worth backing to bank all three points.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have made a perfect start to the season, winning each of their six matches across all competitions. The style and swagger that Celtic played with during Rodgers’ first spell as manager looks to have returned, meaning the Bhoys will go into this clash brimming with confidence.

The Scottish champions have scored multiple goals in each of their six successes this season and a passionate home crowd can roar them on to another victory.

Slovan Bratislava failed to win away at Celje, APOEL and FC Midtjylland during qualification, which does not bode well ahead of a trip to Celtic Park. Celtic were much-improved in their three Champions League home games last season and they can get a win on the board at the first attempt this term.

Slovan Bratislava goalkeeper Dominik Takac looks set for a busy night on Wednesday and opting for him to make at least three saves looks a strong selection.

Celtic will see this as an ideal opportunity to secure three vital points, and we should see wave after wave of pressure from the home team. Celtic have peppered each of their six opponents’ goals with shots this season. most recently racking up 19 against Hearts, six of which hit the target.

The Hoops’ on-target efforts tally in the five games prior to that read 4, 8, 5, 7 and 13, so there is plenty of scope for them to work Sky Blues stopper Takac at least three times. The visitors conceded a combined total of 13 shots on target across their two Champions League play-off games with Midtjylland.

Slovan Bratislava should have a lot of defensive work to get through at Parkhead on Wednesday night, making them a good shout to commit 10 or more fouls.

Free-scoring Celtic have drawn a minimum of 10 fouls from each of their five Scottish Premiership opponents this season so far, and that sequence should carry over onto the continental stage this midweek. During the group stage of last season’s Champions League, each of the three teams to visit Celtic Park committed 10+ fouls.

The Bhoys’ midfield and attack is stacked with pace, flair and creativity, and that should lead to Bratislava sticking the boot in. Vladimir Weiss’ side gave away 10 free-kicks or more in their Champions League qualifiers away from home against both FC Struga and APOEL, and a repeat is to be expected in Glasgow’s east end.

Celtic have drawn two cards or more from four of their six opponents this season and that trend should continue when they square off with Slovan Bratislava. Brendan Rodgers’ side have been attacking relentlessly all season and they are unlikely to sacrifice those principles against their Slovakian opponents. As such, the visitors may have no choice but to ramp up their aggression with a view to trying to keep the high-flying hosts at bay.

Each of the three sides to visit Celtic Park in the Champions League last season collected a minimum of four cards, so two or more should be well within range for a Bratislava side that could well find themselves on the back foot for long periods on Wednesday night.

It’s also worth noting that the Sky Blues have collected two or more bookings in five of their eight continental contests this season so far.

Kyogo Furuhashi could prove to be the difference maker for Celtic on Wednesday night. While the Japanese striker has only scored once this season so far, he is often the man for the big occasion. Kyogo’s solitary strike this term to date came against Celtic’s Old Firm rivals Rangers earlier this month.

He netted in Celtic’s Champions League home games with both Lazio and Atletico Madrid last season and he looks worth backing to make his mark against Slovan Bratislava.

The Slovakian champions failed to silence their opponents away from home in three of their four qualifiers, making Celtic sharpshooter Furuhashi an appealing option for an anytime strike.

Arne Engels announced his arrival to the Celtic faithful on Saturday by scoring his first goal for the club in their 2-0 win over Hearts. The Belgian international converted a second-half penalty and he also hit the woodwork with one of his other three efforts on goal.

His advanced midfield position in the Hoops team should see him get presented with further opportunities to get shots in on goal against Slovan Bratislava, making him a standout selection for a minimum of one shot on target this midweek.

Vladimir Weiss’ side conceded a combined total of 35 shots across their Champions League play-off ties with Midtjylland, so a solitary on-target effort from Celtic’s club record signing looks worth siding with on matchday one.

Callum McGregor will likely be the deepest of Celtic’s three midfielders on Wednesday night and he therefore looks a strong contender to commit a minimum of one foul. The Celtic captain, who was averaging one foul per-game in last season’s Scottish Premiership, has already given away free-kicks in the Hoops’ home games with Kilmarnock and Rangers this term.

His opposite number here is expected to be veteran midfielder Juraj Kucka. The 37-year-old featured for Slovakia at Euro 2024 earlier this year, drawing an average of one foul per-game in the process. He was also fouled three times during Slovakia’s recent 2-0 win over Azerbaijan in the Nations League.

This contest is likely to be played at a ferocious pace in front of a boisterous Bhoys support and that should go hand in hand with the hosts racking up plenty of corners. Brendan Rodgers’ side have earned seven flag-kicks or more in four of their six outings this season, one which was at home to Old Firm rivals Rangers earlier this month.

They have long had a reputation as being prolific corner takers, averaging north of 10 per-game at home in last season’s Scottish Premiership. Add to all of that the fact that Slovan Bratislava conceded a minimum of seven corners in each of their two qualifiers with Midtjylland, then seven or more corners is not beyond the realms of possibility for the Parkhead outfit.