Celtic vs Kairat Almaty prediction, H2H and probable lineups – 20 August 2025
On August 20, 2025, the final qualifying round of the Champions League will see Celtic face off against Kairat Almaty. The match is set to kick off at 21:00 Central European Time. Let’s take a look at the best bet for this clash.
Celtic
Celtic continues its dominant run in Scottish football, clinching the national championship for the fourth consecutive year. Over the past 14 seasons, only once has the title slipped away to their arch-rivals Rangers. However, the Scottish Cup brought an unexpected upset as Celtic fell to Aberdeen, failing to secure a third straight cup triumph.
In preparation for the new season, Celtic played seven friendlies, recording four wins, two losses, and one draw. Their Scottish Premiership campaign began confidently: a 1-0 home win against St. Mirren and a 2-0 victory away to Aberdeen put Celtic second in the standings. In the League Cup, they reached the quarterfinals by defeating Falkirk 4-1 in the round of 16, extending their run of consecutive official wins to three. Including preseason, Celtic has seven wins, one draw, and two defeats in their last ten matches.
In last season’s Champions League, Celtic competed in the group stage, finishing 21st overall, and then exited the playoffs in the round of 32, losing 0-3 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund.
This will be Celtic’s first-ever meeting with Kairat Almaty in European competition—a brand new chapter in their history.
Kairat Almaty
Kairat enters Champions League qualifying as the reigning champions of Kazakhstan. The club has returned to the summit of Kazakh football after a four-year wait—their last title came in 2020—and now they’re eager to make their mark on the continental stage.
In the first qualifying round, Kairat confidently saw off Olimpija Ljubljana: after a 1-1 draw in Slovenia, they won 2-0 at home to advance. Next came Finnish side KuPS: Kairat lost 2-0 away, but staged a comeback in Almaty, winning 3-0 to progress. They then faced Slovan Bratislava, a Champions League group stage participant last season. Kairat won 1-0 at home, lost by the same scoreline away, and prevailed in a penalty shootout, guaranteeing themselves a Europa League group stage spot should they fall to Celtic.
Domestically, Kairat has shown consistency: after 20 rounds, they sit second in the league and are among the main title contenders. However, in their latest outing, Kairat suffered a shock 2-3 home defeat to Yelimay Semey, snapping an eight-match unbeaten run in the Kazakh Premier League.
The club has European pedigree—back in 2021, Kairat competed in the group stage of the Conference League. Though they failed to reach the knockout rounds, that campaign proved invaluable. Now, Kairat looks a more mature and organized side, ready for fresh challenges in the Champions League.
Probable lineups
- Celtic: Schmeichel, Tierney, Scales, Carter-Vickers, Johnston, Hatate, McGregor, Nygren, Maeda, Ida, Forrest.
- Kairat Almaty: Zarutsky, Tapalov, Martinovic, Sorokin, Mata, Arad, Glazer, Gromyko, Jorginho, Edmilson Santos, Satpayev.
Key facts and head-to-head
- Celtic have won 5 of their last 7 matches.
- Celtic have won 6 of their last 7 home games.
- Celtic have scored first in 5 of their last 7 matches.
- Kairat are unbeaten in 5 of their last 6 matches.
- This will be the first ever meeting between these two sides.
Celtic vs Kairat Almaty prediction
The difference in class between the sides is clear. Celtic are a seasoned European club, regulars in the Champions League group stage, and reached the round of 32 last season. Kairat, while performing admirably in qualifying, lack experience at this level—especially away from home, where they have already lost to weaker opposition. Celtic, playing at home, are unlikely to leave qualification hanging until the second leg, and will look to settle the tie in Glasgow. Expect a convincing victory for Celtic with a comfortable margin. My pick for this match is Celtic to win with a -2 handicap at odds of 1.79.
