Celtic vs Beşiktaş Predicted Lineups and Team News

Celtic welcome Beşiktaş to Celtic Park in a UEFA Europa League league-stage clash that already feels pivotal in the race for the playoff spots. With the competition using a league-stage format, every fixture against a direct rival for the upper positions carries significant weight, and this meeting in Glasgow will be no different. Predicted lineups for both sides point to contrasting profiles: Celtic leaning on home advantage and squad depth, Beşiktaş arriving with stronger recent form and a more settled European core.

In the early league-stage standings, Celtic are listed 9th in the overall table with 0 points and no games played yet, marked in the “Play Offs” bracket, underlining the expectation that they should be in the mix for qualification. Beşiktaş sit 5th, also on 0 points and 0 games played, but their recent record in the competition is far more established. With the Turkish side coming off a sequence of strong results in European action and domestic form showing “LWWWW” in the latest league standings entry, this looks like a finely balanced contest where small tactical details and the starting lineup choices could be decisive.

With no official team sheets available yet, this preview focuses on analytically built predicted lineups and the expected starting XI for both Celtic and Beşiktaş, using squad lists, key player statistics and recent tactical trends to project the most likely lineups today.

Celtic Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Celtic enter this Europa League league-stage tie without any confirmed absences listed, which suggests a full squad is available for selection. With no injuries or suspensions reported, the manager can rotate freely between experience and youth. The Scottish side do not have recent Europa League form data in the standings, but as a club carrying the “Play Offs” label in the overall table, expectations remain high that they will be competitive, especially at Celtic Park.

Given the depth across defence and midfield, Celtic are expected to set up with a solid defensive base and a flexible attacking structure rather than an overly expansive shape. The presence of multiple senior options at centre-back and full-back, plus a mix of creative and box-to-box midfielders, points to a balanced, hard-working side that will look to control territory and tempo, particularly in front of their home support. With predicted lineups leaning on senior internationals and a few dynamic forwards, Celtic should be able to match Beşiktaş physically and athletically.

Celtic Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: V. Sinisalo
DF: C. Carter-Vickers, A. Johnston, J. Lotomba, K. Tierney
MF: C. McGregor, A. Oxlade-Chamberlain, O. Sørensen, Yang Hyun-Jun, L. McCowan
FW: K. Høgh

This expected starting lineup for Celtic leans heavily on experience at the back and in central midfield. V. Sinisalo is a logical pick in goal as a first-choice option, protected by a defensive unit of C. Carter-Vickers and K. Tierney as the senior centre-back pairing, with A. Johnston and J. Lotomba providing energy and overlapping threat in the wide defensive roles. That combination gives Celtic aerial presence, recovery pace and the ability to defend both deep and on the front foot.

In midfield, C. McGregor is the natural organiser and tempo-setter, expected to sit slightly deeper to link defence and attack. Alongside him, A. Oxlade-Chamberlain and O. Sørensen add ball-carrying and vertical running, while Yang Hyun-Jun and L. McCowan offer width and creativity between the lines. Up front, K. Høgh profiles as the focal point, tasked with pinning centre-backs, attacking crosses and creating space for onrushing midfielders. With no Celtic players appearing yet in the Europa League top scorers or top assists lists, the goals and creativity are likely to be shared across this unit rather than relying on a single star.

Beşiktaş Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Beşiktaş arrive in Glasgow in strong shape and with momentum. Their league standings entry shows a formidable recent sequence, with a league form string of “WWWWWL” and 5 wins from 6 league fixtures, underpinned by 8 goals scored and only 1 conceded. In continental play, their last five matches show 80% overall form, with an attacking index of 41% and a defensive record that has allowed just 1 goal in that stretch. Crucially for the predicted lineups today, there are no reported injuries or suspensions, meaning the Turkish side can field their strongest XI.

The squad list is rich in quality across all lines, but the spine stands out: Tiago Djaló as a key defender, O. Kökçü as both a top scorer and creative hub, and a deep pool of forwards including D. Vlahović and M. Rashica. Beşiktaş have most frequently lined up in a 4-1-4-1 and occasionally a 4-3-3 in their recent Europa League fixtures, indicating an attacking-minded shape with a strong single pivot and a front line capable of pressing high. That tactical identity should carry over into this game, with an expected emphasis on compactness out of possession and quick transitions through their technically gifted midfielders.

Beşiktaş Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: A. Nübel
DF: Tiago Djaló, A. Murillo, E. Agbadou, R. Yılmaz
MF: W. Ndidi, S. Özcan, K. Yılmaz, O. Kökçü, V. Černý
FW: D. Vlahović

This predicted starting lineup puts Beşiktaş’ strongest assets on the pitch. In goal, A. Nübel is projected to start as a high-level shot-stopper comfortable playing behind a relatively high defensive line. The back four is anchored by Tiago Djaló, who features prominently not only as a key defender but also in disciplinary metrics, appearing in both the yellow and red card lists. His aggressive style is complemented by A. Murillo and E. Agbadou, with R. Yılmaz providing width and attacking support from full-back. This unit has underpinned a run of 5 clean sheets in the last 6 league fixtures, highlighting their defensive solidity.

In midfield, W. Ndidi is the natural screening presence, breaking up play and protecting the back line. Ahead of him, S. Özcan and K. Yılmaz offer control and passing range, while O. Kökçü is the standout creative and goalscoring threat. Kökçü leads Beşiktaş in Europa League scoring with 2 goals and also appears among the top assist contributors, underlining his dual role as playmaker and finisher. V. Černý adds direct running and end product from wide areas. Up front, D. Vlahović is the obvious choice as central striker, giving Beşiktaş a powerful penalty-box presence and a focal point for crosses and through balls. Around him, the supply line from Kökçü, Černý and the advancing full-backs will be central to the visitors’ attacking plan.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

With no injuries or suspensions recorded for either side, this Europa League clash is set to be decided by tactical choices and execution rather than enforced absences. Both managers can select from their full squads, increasing competition for places and making the predicted lineups particularly relevant for understanding likely game plans.

Celtic Absences:

• No significant absences reported.

Beşiktaş Absences:

• No significant absences reported.

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

The projected Celtic XI suggests a side that will look to be compact without the ball and progressive with it, leaning on experienced defenders and a technically solid midfield. With Carter-Vickers and Tierney at the heart of the back line, Celtic can afford to hold a reasonably high block, knowing they have recovery pace and strong one‑v‑one defenders. The full-backs Johnston and Lotomba are likely to push on, creating overloads in wide areas where Yang Hyun-Jun and L. McCowan can drift inside to combine. McGregor’s role as the pivot is crucial: he must help Celtic play through Beşiktaş’ first line of pressure and dictate the rhythm, while Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sørensen provide vertical runs into the half-spaces to support Høgh.

Beşiktaş, by contrast, come into this tie with clearly superior recent form and a more defined tactical identity. Their recent league form string “WWWWWL” and the away defensive record of just 1 goal conceded in 3 league away games indicate a team comfortable controlling matches both home and away. With Ndidi shielding a back four marshalled by Tiago Djaló, they can commit numbers forward without losing balance. The presence of O. Kökçü as a top scorer and top assist contributor gives them a genuine difference-maker between the lines; he will look to exploit any gaps between Celtic’s midfield and defence, particularly if the home full-backs are caught high. V. Černý’s movement from wide into central pockets, combined with D. Vlahović’s presence in the box, sets up a classic battle between Beşiktaş’s incisive attacking patterns and Celtic’s defensive structure.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Outcome models rate this fixture as extremely balanced, with each of home win, draw and away win given a 33% chance. That reflects Celtic’s traditional strength at Celtic Park and their full squad availability, set against Beşiktaş’s superior recent form and proven cutting edge in European competition. The Turkish side’s last five matches in this competition show 7 goals scored and just 1 conceded, backed by a defensive index of 94% and a strong clean-sheet record, while Celtic’s European metrics for this season are still blank.

Given the evenly split probabilities and the lack of a clear predicted winner, the most reasonable verdict is that this will be a tight, tactical contest with limited margin for error. Celtic’s home advantage and energy should allow them to compete on level terms, but Beşiktaş’s more settled attacking structure and the influence of O. Kökçü in advanced midfield zones suggest the visitors have enough quality to avoid defeat. With no explicit goals prediction provided, a low‑scoring draw aligns best with the 33%–33%–33% distribution and the visitors’ recent defensive solidity.

Predicted Outcome: Celtic 1–1 Beşiktaş

How to Watch Celtic vs Beşiktaş Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local sports broadcaster / streaming platform
• UK: Major sports network or official UEFA broadcast partner
• USA / North America: Premium soccer streaming service carrying UEFA Europa League
• South America: Regional sports channel with UEFA rights
• MENA: Dedicated football network or regional streaming platform