RB Leipzig will aim to pick up their first UEFA Champions League points of the season as they visit Scottish champions Celtic on Tuesday (kick-off: 9pm CET).

• 5 reasons why Leipzig will beat Celtic
• Leipzig narrowly beaten by Dortmund
• Watch all of Leipzig's Bundesliga goals in 2024/25
• See how all eight German teams are getting on in Europe this season

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It has been a difficult start to this season's Champions League for Leipzig. They are currently without a point to their name, having lost all three of their encounters so far, although they will take solace from the fact they gave quality opposition in Atlético Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool good games and only lost by one goal on each occasion. For this clash, they will be without Xavi Simons, who is out until January, while David Raum and Xaver Schlager are also on the sidelines. Marco Rose will therefore will be hoping that his other star players can make up for that trio's absence, in particular leading strikers Benjamin Šeško and Loïs Openda. The former was on target as Leipzig suffered their first domestic loss of the season at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Without Xavi, the likes of Christoph Baumgartner and Antonio Nusa may well be required to provide more in the way of creativity further back as they look to supply the formidable duo up top.

As is often the case, Celtic are top of the Scottish Premiership after 10 matchdays, although surprise package Aberdeen are their closest challengers thus far, having amassed the same number of points. Still, they defeated their rivals 5-0 in the Scottish League Cup at the weekend, extending their unbeaten domestic start to the season and ending their opponents'. In Europe, it has been more of a mixed bag. While they defeated Slovan Bratislava in their opening match, they were hammered 7-1 by Dortmund before drawing 0-0 with Atalanta. Former Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels should line up in midfield here, while Daizen Maeda, with nine goals across all competitions including two in this tournament, is the main attacking threat. With no injuries, head coach Brendan Rodgers has a full squad to choose from.

Watch: Leipzig keeping pace

Match stats

• Šeško has scored all three of Leipzig’s Champions League goals this season (from 10 shots).
• He is the club's leading goalscorer across all competitions with seven strikes this term, while Openda is one behind on six.
• Leipzig have faced the Scottish champions four times before in Europe, winning three (L1; 2-1 in Glasgow in the 2018/19 Europa League).
• Nicolas Kühn spent three years in Leipzig’s youth system and played three UEFA Youth League games. He was also part of the Bayern Munich reserves team that won the 3. Liga title in 2019/20 under Sebastian Hoeneß.
• Celtic have managed only two wins in their last 14 Champions League games at home (D3, L9).
• The Scots have lost their last five fixtures against Bundesliga opposition, including 7-1 in Dortmund last month, and five of the last six at home.

Probable teams

Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Valle - Engels, McGregor (c), Hatate - Kühn, Furuhashi, Maeda
Out: -
Doubtful: -
Coach: Brendan Rodgers

Leipzig: Gulácsi - Geertruida, Klostermann, Orbán (c), Henrichs - Baumgartner, Haidara, Kampl, Nusa - Šeško, Openda
Out: Castello (thigh), Raum (ankle), Schlager (knee), Xavi (ankle)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Marco Rose

LIVE blog!

VS

Celtic

Tue, 05.11 20:00

Leipzig

Champions League
League phase, Matchday 4 League phase, Matchday 4 Celtic Park, Glasgow

Šeško looking to add to his UCL tally

Benjamin Šeško has scored as many goals in the Champions League (three) as he has done so far in the Bundesliga, and the Slovenian impressed with a well-taken brace against Juventus. He will be looking to make his mark at Celtic Park this evening and help his side get their first points on the board in the competition.

© IMAGO/motivio

Leipzig are in the building

More on those teams

Marco Rose opts for two changes to the side that started against Dortmund at the weekend, bringing in El Chadaille Bitshiabu to make his first Champions League start at centre-back and Kevin Kampl in central midfield. Meanwhile, the Scottish champions make just one change from their last starting XI, as Greg Taylor begins at left-back.

© DFL/ Getty Images/ Leonhard Simon

Celtic starting XI

Schmeichel - Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor - Engels, McGregor (c), Hatate - Kühn, Maeda, Furuhashi

Celtic subs

Sinisalo, Valle, Ralston, Scales, Nawrocki, Welsh, McCowan, Bernardo, Idah, Yang, Forrest, Palma

RB Leipzig starting XI

Gulácsi - Henrichs, Bitshiabu, Orban (c), Geertruida - Baumgartner, Haidara, Kampl, Nusa - Šeško, Openda

RB Leipzig subs

Vandevoort, Klostermann, Seiwald, Ouedraogo, Gebel, Vermeeren, Elmas, Poulsen, Silva

Former Augsburg man Arne Engels on Leipzig

“We are expecting a really good team. We are really prepared for it, we did some tactical things this morning and everybody is really excited for the game, and everybody is really ready.”

One to watch: Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn

German Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn might not be best known by Bundesliga watchers having never graduated to Bayern Munich's first team from their second, but the Saxony-born striker has burst into life at Celtic with seven goals in 15 games this season.

© Grant Halverson

Christoph Baumgartner on Celtic Park

"We have just played in Dortmund and in general there are many great stadiums with cool atmospheres in the Bundesliga. Celtic Park will definitely be something special again, it will be my first time here. But in the end it is a football game and it is about being better than the opponent and ignoring the rest."

Rodgers on Leipzig

“RB Leipzig, like Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund, are a top team right towards the top of their league. They have everything you would want in a top European side. Speed, strength, power, technique. But it’s a brilliant challenge for us and we’re really looking forward to it."

© Marco Luzzani

Rose on Celtic coach Brendan Rodgers

"Brendan is known for having a clear plan. Celtic's game is very wing-heavy. They don't have a big, strong header centre-forward, but they have a lot of players who are quick in the box. If they lose the ball, they are good at counter-pressing. Celtic are in good form, they have a good team with a clear idea of ​​football. They play intensely against the ball, have fast players on the wings. This is a Champions League team."

Rose admits he's a fan of Celtic

"I already know a lot of the players because I've played against them here before, and many of them are still here. I've always enjoyed coming here, I appreciate the club's history, I appreciate the fan culture. I remember my first game here with Salzburg, we won. The Celtic fans showed us respect. After the game, some fans gave me a scarf and a hat, that's what brings us together. I'm definitely a fan of this club, and I like the coach too."

Without key men

If Leipzig are to collect their first three points of the competition against Celtic, they'll have to do so without key men such as David Raum (ankle) and Xavi Simons (ankle), both of whom were also missing from their loss to Dortmund.

Marco Rose: "We weren't at our best"

Following his side's first league loss of the season, coach Rose was well aware of what went wrong for his side, saying: "There's no doubt that it was a thoroughly deserved win for BVB. They were better than us in many regards tonight. They were more physical, better on the ball and made better decisions. I'm not doubting my team's desire, Borussia Dortmund were simply the better team...We came here with high hopes and some confidence, but we weren't at our best. We're still a really young team and need to learn, despite the experience in our squad."

© IMAGO/Irina R. Hipolito

Mixed bag

Their opponents, Celtic, have won one, drawn one and lost one in the tournament so far and would love to add another win to their belt against Leipzig. Dortmund, who inflicted Leipzig's first league loss of the season on the weekend, did beat them 7-1 on week two of the tournament, and Leipzig will hope they can replicate their Bundesliga rivals' performance.

Searching for that first win

Leipzig have been on fire in the league, but are yet to pick up a point in the UCL. While they have faced incredibly tough opponents in Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, they'll be disappointed to have walked away empty handed from their first three games of the tournament.

1:03

Watch: Borussia Dortmund 2-1 RB Leipzig - highlights

Marco Rose's side fell to their first defeat of the season away from home on Matchday 9.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of RB Leipzig's fourth UEFA Champions League game of the 2024/25 league phase away at Celtic on Tuesday.

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