As Celtic prepare for their UEFA Champions League opener against Slovan Bratislava, Brendan Rodgers is expected to field a strong lineup, sticking closely to the team that beat Hearts on Saturday. The match at Celtic Park is crucial, as the Scottish champions will be eager to start the new format of the competition with a victory against the Pot 4 team.
Kasper Schmeichel is set to continue in goal, having made an excellent start to his Celtic career. In defense, Rodgers is likely to go with his trusted back four of Greg Taylor, Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Alistair Johnston. Auston Trusty, a summer signing, will hope to break into the starting lineup soon, but Scales is expected to keep his spot next to Carter-Vickers for now.
The midfield will likely see Callum McGregor lead the side as captain, with Arne Engels, who impressed with a goal against Hearts, and Reo Hatate potentially joining him. The decision regarding Paulo Bernardo’s involvement will be closely watched, as the Portuguese star has been in fine form this season but was benched for Engels last weekend.
In attack, Kyogo Furuhashi is expected to lead the line, with Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kühn providing width on the wings. Fans will be hoping for a strong start from Celtic as they aim to secure three points in their first group-stage match.
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