Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle betting tips: Scottish Cup Final preview, predictions, team news and odds
Table of Contents
- 1 Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle odds and betting statistics
- 2 Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle recommended bets
- 3 Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle match preview
- 4 Celtic team news
- 5 Inverness Caledonian Thistle team news
- 6 Scottish Premiership table
- 7 Scottish Championship table
- 8 More betting offers
Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle odds and betting statistics
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Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle recommended bets
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Celtic vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle match preview
Will Celtic complete yet another treble, or can Inverness Caledonian Thistle pull-off one of the biggest shocks in European football history?
Between 1888 and 2016, the Hoops completed the treble on five occasions, doing so in 1907, 1908, 1967, 1969 and 2001.
Now, Celtic are 90 minutes away from a fifth treble in just seven seasons, and are overwhelming favourites to achieve this.
Ange Postecoglou’s team were simply unstoppable in the Premiership this season, winning 31 of their first 34 league games, wrapping up the title with four games to go.
They celebrated trophy presentation day in style a week ago, smashing Aberdeen 5-0 at Parkhead, with Kyōgo Furuhashi and Oh Hyeon-gyu both bagging braces, while Carl Starfelt scored a header in-between.
Elsewhere, the Hoops retained the League Cup in February by defeating Rangers 2-1, with Kyōgo also scoring twice that afternoon.
No one in Scotland have been able to stop Celtic this season, with that unlikely to change here.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle are obviously massive underdogs, but do have form when it comes to cup shocks.
When Caley Thistle won the cup for the first, and so far only, time in 2015, they defeated Celtic at the semi-final stage before a 2-1 final victory over Falkirk.
Having overcome Falkirk in this year’s semi, they’ll be hoping for a sense of reverse-déjà vu.
Also, of Celtic’s nine Scottish Cup defeats this century against teams not called Rangers, three have come at the hands of Inverness.
The Highlanders’ 3-1 victory at Celtic Park in 2000 leading to the famous headline: Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious.
In the present day, Billy Dodds’ side remain a Championship club, having finished sixth in the second-tier.
Thus, the Caley Jags have not been in competitive action since a 2-1 defeat to Ayr 29 days ago, facing Dungannon Swifts in a solitary friendly in the meantime.
This can’t be ideal preparation but, given that Inverness are only here because Queen’s Park were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player in round four, perhaps they’ll believe their names is on the trophy.
Will Celtic cruise to victory at Hampden, or will Caley Thistle spring the ultimate cup final shock at Hampden?
Celtic team news
Kyōgo Furuhashi is a doubt, having hobbled off against Aberdeen, but Oh Hyeon-gyu proved, by scoring twice off the bench, he’s a more than able deputy when called upon.
In defence, Cameron Carter-Vickers had surgery following the semi-final win over Rangers, so Yūki Kobayashi will continue to partner Carl Starfelt, displacing compatriot Tomoki Iwata who started last weekend.
Daizen Maeda is expected to return in attack, with Liel Abada back on the bench.
Victory in this game would represent captain Callum McGregor’s 20th major honour with the club; only Bobby Lennox, Billy McNeill, Scott Brown and current teammate James Forrest can boast more.
Predicted XI: (4-3-3): Hart; Johnston, Kobayashi, Starfelt, Taylor; McGregor, Hatate, O’Riley; Maeda, Jota, Kyōgo.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle team news
As mentioned, Billy Dodds’ team haven’t been in competitive action since 5 May, so will they be fresh or lacking match-sharpness? Probably the latter.
Billy McKay, who won the cup with Caley Thistle in 2015, is their undisputed star man, scoring 19 times this season, including two in the 3-0 semi-final win over Falkirk.
Tom Walsh and Shane Sutherland are injured long-term, while Roddy MacGregor, who hasn’t featured since March due to an ankle injury, should be fit enough for a place on the bench.
Predicted XI (4-5-1): Ridgers; Duffy, Devine, Deas, Harper; Welsh, Allardice, Henderson, Shaw, MacKay; McKay.
Scottish Premiership table
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Scottish Championship table
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