Football Bet of the Day: Magic Martin to achieve more Celtic success in Europe

Celtic’s chaotic season brings them to a crucial crossroads on Thursday when they face Bologna at the Renato dall’Ara in the Uefa Europa League (18:45 local, 17:45 GMT, live on TNT Sports 2).

With goal difference alone separating them from the league phase’s elimination spots with two games to go, the Scottish champions could do with another famous away day under Martin O’Neill. Read on for our Football Bet of the Day for Thursday.

Bologna vs Celtic Odds

It’s fair to say Celtic are not favoured here. They’re a 5/1 shot for victory with Betfred.

The hosts are 8/15 despite having only recorded one win in their last nine matches in all competitions, while it’s 16/5 for a share of the spoils in Emilia-Romagna.

That Bologna form is worthy of greater scrutiny. They have beaten only Verona (3-2 away from home) since their last European fixture in mid-December, with five straight home games ending in failure of some degree (D1, L4)

Celtic, on the other hand, have regained some momentum since ending the hugely-damaging Wilfried Nancy experiment and handing the reins back to Martin O’Neill.

The Bhoys have won all three matches since then, conceding zero goals in the process. And while that masks the reality of continuing deficiencies, the former Republic of Ireland boss has shown already this term that he can drag results out of this side.

Football Odds

The 3-1 win against Feyenoord in Rotterdam in November was probably the highlight of O’Neill’s previous interim spell, and they have to be heading out to northern Italy with the belief that they can be a match for a Bologna side who are going through a funk right now.

One benefit the Glasgow giants arrive with is rest, with O’Neill having made 10 changes for Sunday’s 2-0 win at sixth-tier Auchinleck Talbot in the Scottish Cup.

That has given his senior figures some breathing space following a busy holiday period, and the Rossoblu come into this clash with the psychological weight of a punishing home defeat to struggling Fiorentina last time out.

It was the Viola who carried most of the threat in that game, and Bologna made it look closer than it had been with a late consolation in the 2-1 defeat.

At another point in the season, I wouldn’t be dreaming of tipping Celtic in this one. Certainly not during Nancy’s reign.

But they are a side who have regained a knack for eking out results, and here they face a club missing exactly that ingredient right now.

All of which makes the 6/4 price available for Celtic to get a draw or win (at an implied probability of 40%) look very appealing.

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