Celtic vs Bodo Glimt Predictions: 27/1 correct score bet catches the eye

Two clubs enjoying impressive unbeaten runs clash at Parkhead on Thursday (8pm) as Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic host Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in the first-leg of their Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs tie.

For Celtic, it will be their first appearance in the inaugural Europa Conference League after they dropped down from the Europa League group stages, while opponents Bodo/Glimt secured their place in the knockout round play-offs after they finished runners-up in their Conference League group.

In fact, Bodo/Glimt have been a breath of fresh air in Europe this season. They enjoyed an impressive group stage period, accumulating 12 points from six unbeaten games which included a sensational 6-1 thrashing of Jose Mourinho’s Roma, a result which made headlines around the continent.

Bodo/Glimt have lost only four of 60 games en route to winning the last two editions of the Norwegian league, and arrive in Scotland unbeaten in 26 games, a run which dates all the way back to August. They are managed by Kjetil Knutsen who has become a familiar name in next manager markets, featuring in the betting for jobs at Norwich, Rangers, and earlier this week Aberdeen.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic are also brimming with confidence, having won 16 and lost none of their last 17 matches - since November - and the home side could well prove to be the fresher of the teams given that Bodo/Glimt have been restricted to friendly games since the conclusion of their league season in December, with their new campaign not starting until April.

Celtic are the 1/3 favourites to win on the night, Bodo/Glimt are priced at 6/1 for the victory, whereas a draw can be found at 7/2.

All in all it’s been a fantastic few months for manager Ange Postecoglou whose Celtic side are top of the Scottish Premiership and gunning to overcome a lengthy hurdle which has seen the club fail to win a European knockout tie since 2004. They’ve tasted silverware already this season in the form of the League Cup, and are awaiting a Scottish Cup quarter-final. Whisper it extremely quietly, but a quadruple could be on the cards…

Bodo/Glimt are a side that are used to winning domestically, while they’ve impressed in Europe too, taking four points off Roma in the group stages. However, they no longer have star goalscorer Erik Botheim in their ranks after he was transferred to Krasnodar, Patrick Berg has also departed for Lens, and Elias Hoff Melkersen is a new addition at Hibernian meaning this could well be a vastly different side to the one that we became accustomed to earlier on in the competition.

Celtic may have failed to make an impact in the Europa League, but they head into their first Conference fixture in irresistible form, and roared on by a passionate Parkhead crowd.

Bodo/Glimt will be no pushovers but the The Hoops have won their last nine straight games at home, losing just once on their own patch in the last year. Given that they are a short-price to win on Thursday we like the look of Celtic to win by one goal at 11/4 with Bet365, with their two wins in Europe achieved via this margin.

Scotland should play host to an entertaining fixture, given both the form of the sides and their eye for goal.

Celtic’s six Europa League games contained a whopping 28 goals, that’s an average of 4.6 a game!

Their last three European matches were 3-2 thrillers, including two wins, and that outcome certainly grabs our attention at 27/1 (SBK) in favour of the hosts.

Only two teams scored more goals than Bodo/Glimt (14) in the Conference League group stages, and while they’ve lost firepower this winter, they are unlikely to alter their high-energy and attack-minded style of play.

Celtic are priced at 2/1 to win and BTTS, and given that goals are likely to be on the agenda we also like the look of the 3.82/1 double with SBK which requires BTTS and over 3.5 goals.