Celtic looked overpriced for their opening Champions League fixture against Benfica when the odds were first made available after the draw and I’m still of the same opinion on the day of the game.
It has been four seasons since the Glasgow club contested the tournament proper after some near misses in the play-offs but there is no reason to believe their terrific home form in Europe cannot continue and quite how they are nearly 4.00 to start with a win I’ve no idea
Comfortable qualifying victories this time around against HJK and Helsingborg, winning all four matches and conceding just once, sees Celtic clash with Spartak Moscow and the mighty Barcelona as well as their Portuguese opponents on Wednesday and there should be plenty of optimism that they can join the Catalans in the last 16.
Celtic have been dismissed as group outsiders but, while they do look up against it, their form at Parkhead entitles them to plenty of respect.
Celtic might not quite be the force of a few years ago but there was no fluke about wins over the likes of Juventus, Manchester United and AC Milan over the last decade and Benfica shouldn’t underestimate Neil Lennon’s side.
Wednesday’s visitors impressed all last term when reaching the last eight of this competition but they were beaten home and away at the quarter-final stage by eventual champions Chelsea and were also overturned in 3-2 in their second round clash at Zenit.
In fact, Benfica arrive in Scotland having won just four of their last 14 away matches and they don’t look like a side to trust on their travels to me.
While Celtic were beaten 2-1 at St Johnstone on Saturday, that was the first defeat suffered by the SPL champions since May and their record in front of their own fans is terrific.
The atmosphere at Parkhead tonight is sure to be white-hot and Celtic must surely take at least a point if they are to have any aspirations of advancing from the group.
4pts Lay Benfica @ 2.20 (Betfair)