Kairat vs Celtic: UEFA Champions League Prediction (26.08.2025)

On Tuesday, August 26 at 18.45 CEST at the Central Stadium in Almaty, the local club Kairat will host Celtic from Glasgow in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2025-2026 fourth qualifying round. The first meeting in Scotland ended goalless.

In the decisive clash Kairat – Celtic, bookmakers’ predictions once again fully favor the Scottish side. A bet on the yellow-blacks to win in regular time is offered at odds of 5.00, while their qualification to the group stage is priced at 3.65. For Celtic, the odds in the same markets are 1.63 and 1.28 respectively. Despite the 0-0 draw in Glasgow, a lot of goals are expected in Almaty: total over 2.5 goals is priced at 1.63, and both teams to score is at 1.66.

Kairat

Rafael Urazbakhtin’s men were seen as clear underdogs with no chances in the first leg according to bookmakers. If you compare the financial statements of the two clubs, the Almaty squad’s value is at least ten times smaller than the overall worth of Celtic’s players. But football attracts us precisely because it can surprise. After the goalless draw, the odds have become more favorable for the yellow-blacks.

Interestingly, before the two-legged tie with Celtic, Kairat lost at home to Elimay despite taking a 2-0 lead early in the game. It is important that the coaching staff draw the right conclusions. Much hope rests on maximum defensive discipline and a good dose of luck.

Celtic

Brendan Rodgers openly admitted after the game in Glasgow that his team simply wasn’t on the pitch in the first half. Such a thing cannot happen again. Whether it was underestimating the opponent or an inexplicable functional and performance crisis, it remains unclear. The coach promised that the second leg will be played in a completely different manner.

It should be noted that in the newly started Scottish league, the Celts have not conceded a single goal in the first two rounds. They played against St. Mirren and Aberdeen, opponents who cannot be called weak.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

The statistics from the first leg are very telling. Celtic dominated possession 75%:25%, shots toward goal 11:8, shots on target 3:0, accurate passes 696:143! Total domination is also shown by the corner count: 15:3. However, xG statistics showed an almost equal result: 0.56:0.55.

Prediction

Kazakh fans, of course, hope that their club can hold out in the second leg as well. But the statistics from the first game are too clear. We predict a Celtic win at odds of 1.63.