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Match preview

If Celtic have any chance of reaching the knockout stages, it’s simply now or never.

Last Wednesday evening, Christopher Nkunku fired RB Leipzig in front, but his goal was cancelled out by Jota’s cooly taken equaliser.

Nevertheless, André Silva’s late brace, the first punishing Joe Hart’s poor clearance, saw the German side to a 3-1 victory.

Back in 2018, Celtic lost in Leipzig, but then won the return fixture at Parkhead a fortnight later; something similar is certainly required.

So far in this group, Ange Postecoglou’s team have paid the price for missed chances, beaten 3-0 by Real Madrid before a 1-1 draw in Warsaw.

This leaves the Hoops rock bottom, needing wins in their next two home games to have a chance of securing any variation of post-Christmas knockout football.

Now though, Marco Rose’s team will be targeting victory in Glasgow which could see them leap into second.

At the weekend, die Roten Bullen were held to a 1-1 draw by Mainz, leaving them tenth in the Bundesliga.

Celtic meantime looked set to drop points when St Johnstone equalised in the 93rd minute.

However, they went straight up the other end and, with the last kick of the game, Giorgos Giakoumakis snatched a winner.

Will Paradise witness a famous European night, or will RB Leipzig spoil any potential party?

Celtic team news

Captain Callum McGregor is out until after the World Cup at least after suffering a knee injury in Saxony; a massive blow.

So, Oliver Abildgaard could deputise at the base of midfield.

At centre-back, Carl Starfelt is still sidelined, but Cameron Carter-Vickers did make his return at McDiarmid Park on Saturday.

Josip Juranović and Greg Taylor are likely to come back in at full-back after being rested at the weekend.

Kyōgo Furuhashi will lead the line, despite Giorgos Giakoumakis’ late weekend heroics.

RB Leipzig team news

First-choice goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi suffered a long-term knee injury in the reverse fixture last Wednesday.

Janis Blaswich came on for the captain, but Ørjan Nyland has since joined the club, so the Norwegian could debut here.

Defender Lukas Klostermann as well as midfielder Konrad Laimer and Dani Olmo are long-term absentees.

Joško Gvardiol will return to the back-line, after sitting out Saturday’s Bundesliga draw.

In attack, last Wednesday’s two-goal hero André Silva will once again be supported by Christopher Nkunku, Dominik Szoboszlai and Timo Werner.