Celtic line-up predictions for Real Betis Europa League opener

Manager Ange Postecoglou has several selection quandaries ahead of the tie, with an imminent return to availability for Anthony Ralston as well as Greg Taylor's shoulder issue and Kyogo Furuhashi's ongoing injury all likely to influence the starting XI.

Here, our writers make their line-up predictions as the Hoops try to get the European campaign off to a positive start in Spain.

Alison McConnell

Just as Ange Postecoglou finds himself with options, along comes injuries to restrict his hand.

As he kicks off the Europa League campaign in Seville tomorrow night, the big headache is how to cope with the loss of the influential Kyogo Furuhashi.

The Japan international has set a tone for Celtic following his arrival with his goals as important as the positive energy he introduced into a flagging squad.

Forgotten man Albian Ajeti netted twice on Saturday after emerging into contention and the likelihood is that he will keep his place for the game against Real Betis.

Celtic’s recent record on the road makes for fairly grim reading with only one win from five so it will be important to shore things up defensively. Joe Hart came up with a decent save against Ross County at the weekend when the scoreline was only 1-0 while Cameron Carter-Vickers had a decent debut. Time will tell if it is sufficient to hang onto the starting jersey.

The suspicion is that Callum McGregor will be deployed in a deeper midfield role with Tom Rogic or James McCarthy perhaps invited to assist. Jota impressed on the wing although the game in Seville will be a step up from the encounter against Ross County. Solidity at the back and clinical at the front will be Postecoglou’s ambitions for his team. 

Alison's team: Hart; Juranovic, Starfelt, Carter-Vickers, Ralston; McGregor, Turnbull, Rogic; Jota, Ajeti, Abada. 

Andy Bargh

It’s a must-win game, in a place Celtic tend to struggle and in which Ange Postecoglou has never managed. 

Nope, not the Europa League opener against Real Betis tomorrow; the league match in Livingston on Sunday. Will the importance of the game in West Lothian lead the manager to prioritise it over the one in Andalucia?  

I think Celtic fans know by now, probably not. Despite the fairly thin nature of the squad, especially in midfield. 

Joe Hart starts in goals, as he will do all season apart from maybe in the League Cup, at a push. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt partnered each other against Ross County at the weekend, which is fairly harsh on Stephen Welsh, who I expect to come back in at the expense of the American. 

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Greg Taylor’s injury opens up a spot for either Adam Montgomery or to allow Liam Scales to be thrown into the deep end with a debut against Betis. Alternatively, Josip Juranovic may be switched to the left for Anthony Ralston to reclaim the right-back spot if he’s fit. 

Betis are a possession side with dangerous players operating on the cusp of the final third, like Nabil Fekir and Sergio Canales. This may suggest Celtic should deploy a more defensive-minded midfielder, or two, at the base of their middle third. James McCarthy could be that man, with Callum McGregor and David Turnbull or Tom Rogic playing in front of him. 

James Forrest didn’t make the squad for County and Liel Abada performed well again. I think Postecoglou will select him on the right with Jota on the other side of Albian Ajeti. 

Andy's team: Hart; Ralston, Welsh, Starfelt, Juranovic; McCarthy, McGregor, Turnbull; Abada, Ajeti, Jota

Sean Martin

Betis are at their most comfortable in possession so this might be a game where Celtic need to adapt to playing without the ball for longer spells than they’re used to.

That makes it doubly important that they keep the ball as well as they possibly can when they have it so Callum McGregor's role will, as always, be vital. For this one, though, I can see Postecoglou giving him some help in there in the shape of James McCarthy. The Ireland international looked good in his substitute appearance against Ross County on Saturday, consistently showing for passes and looking to get it forward when he could. 

That means no place for Tom Rogic as it feels like Postecoglou has raised up David Turnbull as his chief attacking midfielder so far in terms of team selection. Liel Abada and Jota will retain their places on the flanks unless James Forrest is finally ready to return, in which case it could be the Portuguese who drops to the bench. 

Albian Ajeti will start up front after his two-goal display against County, though he will likely need to put in a more robust all-round performance against better opposition.

At the back, Anthony Ralston's return and Greg Taylor's continuing shoulder concerns make me think Postecoglou will use Josip Juranovic at left-back as he did against Rangers at Ibrox. To avoid even more changes, I also think he'll keep his centre-back pairing from Saturday the same. 

Sean's team: Hart; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Juranovic; McCarthy, McGregor; Abada, Turnbull, Jota; Ajeti.