Celtic travel to Pittodrie on Wednesday evening as heavy favorites to extend their dominance over a struggling Aberdeen side. The Hoops sit third in the Scottish Premiership with 45 points, while the Dons languish in seventh with just 28 points from 23 matches. Wilfried Nancy's men need the win to close the gap on leaders Hearts, whereas Peter Leven's interim tenure has produced inconsistent results. This fixture has been one-sided recently, with Celtic winning three and drawing one of the last four meetings.
Aberdeen's form has been a rollercoaster under caretaker boss Peter Leven since Jimmy Thelin's January departure. The Dons bounced back from a 3-0 loss to St. Mirren with a 6-2 thrashing of Livingston, a match where Topi Keskinen and Kevin Nisbet both scored twice. However, heavy defeats to Rangers (3-0) and St. Mirren exposed defensive frailties that Celtic will target. Kenan Bilalovic has emerged as a key attacking threat, scoring in three of the last five matches. Pittodrie can be a fortress on its night, but Aberdeen have conceded multiple goals in four of their last six league outings.
Celtic arrive with their own challenges but possess superior quality throughout the squad. Nancy's side hammered Dundee United 4-0 in their last outing, with Benjamin Nygren and Yang Hyun-Jun both on target. The Hoops then drew 2-2 at Tynecastle against league leaders Hearts, showing resilience to twice come from behind. Key absences include Reo Hatate (calf, 5-6 weeks) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (3 weeks), while Alistair Johnston and Jota remain sidelined. Kieran Tierney has returned to full fitness and adds crucial experience to the backline.
The head-to-head record heavily favors Celtic, who have scored at least three goals in three of the last four meetings. The December fixture at Celtic Park ended 3-1, with Nygren, Tierney, and James Forrest finding the net. Last season saw Celtic win both league encounters 5-1, while the Scottish Cup Final finished 1-1. Aberdeen have scored in each of these meetings but have consistently been outclassed. Celtic have won six of the last seven meetings at Pittodrie.
I'm backing Away Win & Under 4.5 Goals at 1.80. Celtic have won 14 of 23 league matches this season while Aberdeen have lost 11 of their 23 fixtures. Four of the last five Aberdeen home matches have finished with under 4.5 total goals, fitting the pattern for a controlled Celtic victory. The xG projection (0.98–1.78) supports a 0-2 finish.
