Celtic take on Slovan Bratislava on Matchday One of the Champions League at Celtic Park on Wednesday night under the lights.

Brendan Rodgers' side gets their European campaign underway for the 2024/25 season. They take on Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava, who travel to Glasgow in search of a famous European victory of their own on foreign soil.

In light of this, The Celtic Way caught up with Slovakian football expert Thanos Michael of the Slovak Football X account to find out more about Celtic's opponents this week, ahead of Wednesday's big match...

What is the mood like back home in Slovakia for Slovan Bratislava going into this Champions League ‘League Phase’?

Slovan Bratislava fans and some neutrals are ecstatic. The country has not seen Champions League football since the autumn of 2007, so it was a big success to see them qualify. Some big football names will come to the country, so everyone at Slovan Bratislava is delighted and excited for the Champions League.

What is Slovan Bratislava’s current form like? Are they coming into this game in good shape or struggling for consistency?

Slovan Bratislava are in good shape, despite that weird 0-5 defeat against Zilina just before the international break. On Saturday, they won away from home at DAC with their opponents missing a 98th-minute penalty. They always struggle there, so this win gives them a big morale boost going into the match versus Celtic.

What will Slovan Bratislava’s aims be for this stage of the competition?

Reaching this stage is a success in itself, so anything that comes now is a bonus for the side. Of course, they will not want to just make up the numbers in this competition. I would say that they should aim to get at least 1 win and 1 draw in the eight games that they will take part in during the ‘League Phase’.

Who are the club’s key players/players to look out for against Celtic?

Marko Tolic was crucial in the qualifiers, scoring vital goals and orchestrating the play in the middle of the park. He is a man in good form at the moment. Dominik Takac, the goalkeeper, was also excellent in the qualifiers. Former Rangers player Vladimir Weiss is still a player who can cause trouble, while Tigran Barseghyan and David Strelec are also in good form for the side. These are the players that Celtic should watch out for on Wednesday night.

Are there any areas where Celtic can exploit on Wednesday night – do Slovan Bratislava have any weak areas that may be targeted?

I’m not so sure about weak areas, but I suspect that Celtic’s tricky players like Kyogo Furuhashi may prove troublesome for the Slovan Bratislava defence on Wednesday night.
 
Will Slovan Bratislava bring a big crowd over to Glasgow for the game?

After consultation with those in the know, I suspect that somewhere between 500-600 will travel to Glasgow for this match.

Your personal prediction for the game against Celtic this Wednesday?

My prediction is a 1-1 draw, although Celtic are the favourites for this particular match.