Could Utrecht Be the Perfect Opponent for Celtic in the Europa League?

Match Details

Competition: Europa League, Celtic vs Utrecht

Location: Celtic Park, Glasgow

Date: Thursday, January 28

Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT

Broadcast: Live commentary available on BBC Radio Scotland and text coverage on the BBC Sport webpage & app.

Preview of the Match

Celtic finds itself in an advantageous position as they prepare to face Utrecht, a team in dire circumstances and in need of a victory to stay in the Europa League tournament.

Utrecht has faced significant struggles, currently sitting at the bottom of the Europa League group standings. They have managed to secure only one point from seven matches and are yet to achieve a win, although they did earn a point against FC Porto, the Portuguese league leaders.

Domestically, their situation is no better, placing them in 11th within the Eredivisie and trailing by seven points from the playoff position for European qualification.

Under the management of Ron Jans, Utrecht has been enduring a five-match losing streak in all competitions, including a recent loss to Genk. Their exit from the Dutch Cup early this month has compounded their woes, as they struggle to find form in their league fixtures.

The team will be without new signing Jesper Karlsson, who has been recalled by Bologna and is not available for this matchup. Another forward, Angel Alarcon, is similarly sidelined following his loan from Porto.

Utrecht’s goalkeeper, Vasilis Barkas, a former Celtic player, is expected to start, while Michael Brouwer may be chosen as his backup for this important clash.

Key players to watch on Utrecht’s side include Miguel Rodriguez and Yoann Catheline, the latter having experience in France’s Under-20 setup alongside Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike.

This encounter will mark the third competitive meeting between the two clubs, with Utrecht having triumphed in a previous Europa League qualifier in 2010, coming back from a two-goal deficit. They will be aiming to leave a positive impression despite their current adversities.

For Celtic, this fixture presents a critical opportunity to solidify their position and keep their Europa League ambitions alive.

Match Statistics

• Celtic stands in 24th place in the Europa League, just above Ludogorets Razgrad and two points clear of five other teams.
• Utrecht is at the bottom of the standings among 36 teams in the Europa League, securing only one point and already facing elimination.
• Celtic has confronted 123 attempts on goal this season, ranking just behind Go Ahead Eagles (132), with Glasgow facing a record 36 shots last match against Bologna.
• The last ten away European matches for Utrecht yielded no wins, with eight losses, their last victory being in October 2003 against Zilina.
• Celtic remains unbeaten in their last five matches, recently drawing two times against both Bologna and Heart of Midlothian, after winning three consecutive games.
• Utrecht’s last outing resulted in a 1-0 loss to Sparta Rotterdam, placing them 11th out of 18 teams in their league.
• Celtic slipped to third in the Scottish Premiership after their recent draw with Hearts.
• Previously, Celtic has faced Utrecht, losing on aggregate in a crucial duel back in 2010 after a significant comeback by the Dutch side.
• Overall, Celtic has achieved ten wins and suffered eight losses in their 20 matches against Dutch teams, their latest encounter being a success against Feyenoord.
• Celtic has won five out of their last eight home fixtures against Dutch sides.
• Injuries keep Iraqi international Zidane Iqbal, midfielder Victor Jensen, and forward David Min out for Utrecht.
• However, the Utrecht lineup does include promising talents like England Under-21’s Adrian Blake and Derry Murkin.