Sabasports Match Preview
Champions League: Kairat Almaty vs Celtic
Kickoff Time: 2025-08-27 00:45 (HKT)
Source: REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off, Kairat Almaty drew 0-0 with Celtic away from home, causing a big upset. Although Kairat Almaty is champions of the Kazakhstan Premier League last season, their entire squad is valued at only 12.8 million euros. The fact that they managed to draw against a team worth 10 times their value shows an outstanding performance. Getting a point away from home has given Kairat Almaty a strong boost. Their main tactics rely on combinations between wide players and tall strikers, and set-pieces are also a key part of their attacking strategy. Kairat Almaty doesn’t have many offensive weapons; their main approach is to play high and long.
Celtic won 3-0 at home against Livingston in their last Scottish Premiership match, securing a third consecutive league victory. At the same time, Celtic quickly adjusted their form after the “upset” in the first leg of the Champions League play-off. Looking back at the first leg, Celtic dominated possession with 66%, but failed to convert chances and lacked a bit of luck. After the game, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers issued a warning to Kairat Almaty: the second leg will be completely different. To prepare for this match, Rodgers made several changes in the weekend league game to conserve energy.
Celtic’s total squad value is 10 times that of Kairat Almaty, and the gap in quality between the two teams is clear. In addition, Celtic has far more experience in the Champions League than Kairat Almaty, and they know better how to adjust during a two-leg tie. In terms of strength, experience, and tactics, Celtic clearly outperforms Kairat Almaty. Overall, it’s reasonable to expect Celtic to come away with a win in this match.
Kairat Almaty‘s Last 5 Games: DLWWL
25-08-21 Celtic 0-0 Kairat Almaty
25-08-13 Slovan Bratislava 1-0 Kairat Almaty (PEN 3-4)
25-08-06 Kairat Almaty 1-0 Slova Bratislava
25-07-29 Kairat Almaty 3-0 KuPS
25-07-22 KuPS 2-0 Kairat Almaty
Celtic’s Last 5 Games: WDWWW
25-08-23 Celtic 3-0 Livingston
25-08-21 Celtic 0-0 Kairat Almaty
25-08-16 Celtic 4-1 Falkirk
25-08-10 Aberdeen 0-2 Celtic
25-08-03 Celtic 1-0 St. Mirren
Head-To-Head Record
25-08-21 Celtic 0-0 Kairat Almaty
Prediction: Celtic to win