Lazio v Celtic: Europa League betting preview, free tip & TV details

Football tips, best bets and predictions for Lazio v Celtic in the Europa League.

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 5.55pm Thursday

Best bet

Lazio to win by one goal
1pt 11-4 Sky Bet

Team news

Lazio
Midfielder Danilo Cataldi is suspended. Joaquin Correa is struggling with a calf injury.

Celtic
Josep Simunovic is injured. Fellow defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Greg Taylor are not eligible. Vakoun Bayo is out but Leigh Griffiths is fit.

Match preview

Lazio took a punt by not starting Ciro Immobile on their Europa League trip to Celtic and it didn’t pay off, but don’t expect them to make the same mistake in the return tussle in Rome.

Head coach Simone Inzaghi gambled on leaving ace marksman Immobile on the bench in Glasgow two weeks ago but it backfired as Celtic came from behind to run out 2-1 winners.

That result left Lazio on the point of no return in their quest to overhaul Celtic or Cluj for qualification rights in Group E and means Inzaghi will surely turn to his star man at the Stadio Olimpico.

Given that Celtic rode their luck against the classy Italians at Parkhead and that Immobile is set to lead the line and renew his ace partnership with Luis Alberto (also omitted at Celtic), Lazio can avenge that loss and boost their hopes of qualifying.

They are odds-on despite the fact that Celtic are a different beast in Europe these days, with the Scottish champions going five successive away games in European competition without defeat.

But the Serie A side are in top nick themselves having won three games in a row, most recently at Milan, and with 14-goal Immobile leading the line they are going to be hard to resist.

It’s going to be a tricky tie for Celtic, who aren’t adept at sitting back, but if they try to be expansive they may well get picked off.

Neil Lennon’s men proved their resilience in their initial Group E road trip to claim a thoroughly respectable 1-1 draw at Rennes. And, in a group full of fairly tight encounters – only one of the six matches played in this section has been decided by more than a single goal – a one-goal win for the hosts looks the likeliest outcome.

Key stat

Lazio have found the net in each of their last 13 competitive home games.

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