Celtic vs AC Milan Preview - prediction, team news, lineups | Pre-Season Friendly

Ruben Amorim eyes debut win in maiden game as AC Milan head coach in Glasgow.

Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, gears up to host the club friendly fixture. One of the most successful sides in Scotland, Celtic and Italian powerhouse AC Milan are set for a thrilling contest.

The Hoops are coming after a winless three-match run. After settling for draws against Shelbourne and Middlesbrough, they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat against Sporting CP. This home game offers an opportunity for the Scottish outfit to redeem themselves and get back to winning ways in front of the home crowd.

They are led by Northern Irish gaffer Martin O’Neill, who has previously been at the helm of teams like Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Aston Villa before making a return to Celtic Park for his second innings. All eyes will be on key players like Benjamin Nygren and Kieran Tierney, who will be keen to make an impact.

AC Milan will be playing their first club friendly fixture ahead of the 2026-27 season. After missing out on continental football previously, they fought back bravely to bring European football back to the continental stage. They, however, parted ways with Massimiliano Allegri, who made a move to Napoli.

They roped in former Manchester United gaffer Ruben Amorim, who will be keen to return the old golden days for AC Milan loyalists. Adrien Rabiot was in sublime form last season. Mike Maignan between the sticks was brilliant and will be hoping to continue the same form.

Pre-season friendlies bring a relaxed and experimental rhythm where fitness matters more than the final score. The summer enters a phase where tactical drills and rising academy prospects take centre stage over wins. Ahead of the start of the new season, fans can expect a low-pressure game where every manager gets a chance to test their squad.

Kick-off:

• Location: Glasgow, Scotland
• Stadium: Celtic Park
• Kick-off time: 3 p.m. BST, 3 p.m. local BST [7:30 p.m. IST, Saturday, July 25]
• Date: Saturday, July 25
• Referee: TBD
• VAR: Not in use

Form:

Celtic (in all competitions): D-L-D-W-W

AC Milan (in all competitions): L-W-L-L-D

Players to Watch

James Forrest (Celtic)

Daizen Maeda is rumoured to leave Glasgow. Martin O’Neill is expected to start Forrest in the next game against AC Milan. The Scottish striker is one of the most veteran offensive options in the team.

He has rendered his services to the club since 2009. For over one and a half decades, Forrest has been a crucial player for Celtic. Forrest has played over 500 games for Celtic.

He has scored more than a century of goals. He will be a key player to watch out for in the next game.

Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)

The English defender was excluded from the English squad in the FIFA World Cup 2026 despite a decent campaign with Milan in the Serie A last season. After honing his skills early on in his career at Stamford Bridge, he donned jerseys of teams like Hull City, Brighton and Chelsea before making a move to AC Milan.

Celtic have some really good offensive players, who were in fine form last season. Tomori will be tasked with the responsibility of keeping them quiet. It is never easy to find a place in the starting eleven of a highly competitive team like Milan.

Tomori would leave no stone unturned to impress new gaffer Amorim.

Match Facts

• These two sides last met in the UEFA Europa League in 2020, where AC Milan won 4-2
• The only time Celtic defeated Milan was in 2007
• Kaka of AC Milan is the leading goalscorer in this fixture.

Celtic vs AC Milan: Betting Tips and Odds

• Match to end in a draw
• James Forrest to score
• Celtic 2-2 AC Milan

Injury and Team News

Celtic roped in some new players like Camilo Duran from Qarabag and Benjamin Arthur from Brentford. Japanese striker Daizen Maeda was in sublime form last season.

He is not expected to start as he is rumoured to leave. They have no injury concerns for the next game.

Talking about AC Milan, Christian Pulisic remains out for the next game due to injury concerns. Christopher Nkunku, Mike Maignan and Rafael Leao will be out as well.

Head-to-Head

Total games: 12

Celtic won: 01

AC Milan won: 08

Matches drawn: 03

Predicted Lineups

Celtic predicted lineup (4-2-3-1)

Viljami Sinisalo (GK); Alistair Johnston, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney; Callum McGregor, Arne Engels; Yang Hyun-jun, Benjamin Nygren, Sebastian Tounekti; James Forrest

AC Milan predicted lineup (3-5-2)

Lorenzo Torriani (GK); Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, Strahinja Pavlović; Victor Eletu, Youssouf Fofana, Ardon Jashari, Samuele Ricci, Davide Bartesaghi; Samuel Chukwueze, Christopher Nkunku.

Match Prediction

AC Milan will be without their big names. Celtic will be keen to go all guns blazing to clinch their first win in the friendly clash. We expect this game to end in a high-scoring and thrilling draw.

Prediction: Celtic 2-2 AC Milan

Telecast Details

Worldwide: Celtic Player (subscription required)

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