After another European away match collapse midweek in Germany, the Celtic team have a job to pick themselves up for today’s visit of Aberdeen in the SPFL. The Hoops couldn’t see out a 2-1 lead against Leverkusen eventually losing 3-2 and crashing out of the Europa League.
You get the feeling this team is getting better and better but the manner in which the game was lost was a bittersweet pill to swallow. Today’s league clash will bring its own obstacles and players need to be switched on for a resurging Aberdeen team.
Celtic duo Tom Rogic and Carl Starfelt are closing in on returns with the manager hinting midweek that Rogic could be back for today’s game.
Striker Giorgos Giakoumakis has missed the last two games with a knee problem. Christopher Jullien is building up his fitness in training after recovering from a long-term knee injury, and fellow defender Greg Taylor is working his way back from a shoulder problem.
Aberdeen will be without the suspended Funso Ojo after they were unable to get his bizarre dismissal at Dundee United overturned from last weekend. Scott Brown returns to Celtic Park today but wearing a captains armband for the opposition.
With the teams just released, this is how the Celtic team line up today:
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Here's how the ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ for #CELABE!
#COYBIG ๐ pic.twitter.com/wu8VgLhMw6— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) November 28, 2021
For once we see a few surprises in the starting 11 today. James McCarthy gets a rare start and Abada is picked over Forrest. No sign of Rogic, Bitton or Starfelt on the bench.
Celtic have lost just one of their last 21 league matches against Aberdeen (W17 D3) and are unbeaten in 12 such meetings (W9 D3) since a 1-0 defeat in May 2018. Aberdeen have lost 29 of their last 31 league visits to Celtic (W1 D1), a stretch that began in the 2004-05 season.
Celtic are unbeaten in their last 12 home Scottish Premiership matches (W9 D3), conceding only three goals across these games.
Jota has been directly involved in eight goals in nine Scottish Premiership appearances this season (4 goals, 4 assists), although he has only one assist and no goals in four such games at Celtic Park.
