Manchester City will kick off their pre-season campaign with a friendly against Celtic on Wednesday at the Kenan Memorial Stadium in North Carolina.

This match is an exciting encounter between the reigning champions of the Premier League and the Scottish Premiership.

Pep & Man City Begin Preparations for Up-Coming Season | Home Win = 2.14

Pep Guardiola will oversee his English title-winning side in yet another pre-season tour, as the Spanish tests his team's readiness with a couple of friendly games, the first of which is against Brendon Rodgers’s Celtic.

The Citizens are coming off yet another record-setting season, having secured their fourth consecutive Premier League title in a row, but losing out of both the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup to Real Madrid and Manchester United, the eventual winners.

Man City's pre-season tour of the USA will also include matches against AC Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea, providing a robust test for the squad before they face Manchester United in the Community Shield on August 10 and try to lift an unprecedented fifth straight Premier League title when the season starts.

In-Form Celtic Look to Test Themselves at the Highest Level | Away Win = 2.90

Under the guidance of returning manager Brendan Rodgers, Celtic enter this friendly with the hope of finding a much tougher test after their thrilling 6-4 win over Queen's Park was followed by a convincing 4-0 victory over DC United.

Rodgers, who rejoined Celtic after a mixed stint with Leicester City, has quickly reinstated his influence, leading the team to a league and cup double last season. The Scottish champions are preparing for another season of dominance in the Premiership and a better Champions League campaign than the one they had last season.

If Celtic are to withstand the competition from Rangers in the league to successfully defend their Scottish Premiership title and do better in Europe’s elite competition, they will need a very good team and what way to see if they have that than friendlies against City and Chelsea, their next after this one?

Key Players & Team News:

For Manchester City, key players like Haaland, Ortega, and Nunes with new signings like Savinho, are all expected to feature as Guardiola assesses his squad's readiness for the new season, fine-tuning their strategies and building fitness levels.

Midfielder Matt O'Riley has been in excellent form, scoring twice in their recent match, and is expected to play a part against City as Rodgers aims to integrate new signings and solidify his starting line-up ahead of their league opener.

Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw = 3.85

There have been three (3) draws in the previous four (4) meetings between Manchester City and Celtic in all competitions (1-1, 3-3, 1-1) with one being a friendly like this one and two being in the UEFA Champions League. | Main Market: Draw = 3.85

Man City are unbeaten against Celtic having managed one (1) win, (2-1), and three (3) draws against the Scottish club from their last four (4) meetings with them. | Specials Market: Home/Draw and Over 2.5 = 2.10

Celtic are unbeaten in their last five (5) games in all competitions having won four (4) and drawing one (1), while they are also unbeaten against City in their last two (2) meetings each (1-1, 3-3). | Specials Market = Draw/Away and Over 2.5 = 2.60

You can check out the Man City vs. Celtic pre-season friendly on MSport here.

Eredivisie giants Ajax will wrap up their pre-season with a friendly against UEFA Europa Conference League giants, Olympiacos on Friday afternoon.

While this match is a final tune-up for Ajax, it will be Olympiacos’ first of at least three friendlies with more against Mechelen and Italian giants AS Roma before their season starts.

Ajax Preparing for Europa League Challenge | Home Win = 2.25

Ajax, under new manager Francesco Farioli, have been active in pre-season as they prepare for the Europa League second qualifying round on July 25. The Dutch side has already played three friendlies this summer and will face Al-Wasl before taking on Olympiacos less than 24 hours later.

Their pre-season began with a narrow 1-0 loss to PEC Zwolle, but they bounced back impressively with a 4-0 victory over Sint-Truiden and a 2-1 win against Rangers. Ajax will aim to continue this positive momentum against Olympiacos as they gear up for their competitive matches. The Dutch giants will face Vojvodina in a two-legged tie, starting in Amsterdam on July 25.

Olympiacos Looking to Build on European Success | Away Win = 2.70

Olympiacos, fresh off their historic Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina, are gearing up for their new season. The Greek side, led by Jose Luis Mendilibar, will begin their league campaign in mid-August and have already secured a spot in the Europa League group stage, unlike their opponents.

Despite finishing third in the Greek Super League last season, Olympiacos have high ambitions for the upcoming season. They are set to play more friendlies, after this one against Ajax, as they prepare for their league opener against Volo NFC on August 16.

Key Players & Team News:

For Ajax, several key players are expected to feature in the friendly, including Kenneth Taylor and Jorrel Hato, who have shown good form in pre-season. Farioli will use this match to assess his squad and finalize his starting lineup for the upcoming Europa League qualifiers.

Olympiacos will rely on experienced players like Kostas Fortounis, who played a crucial role in their Europa Conference League win. Mendilibar will look to integrate new signings and give playing time to young talents as he prepares his team for the new season.

Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw = 3.40

There are no records of Ajax and Olympiacos having faced each other, making this friendly an interesting encounter for both sides. | Main Market: GG/NG (Yes) = 1.52

Ajax's recent form in pre-season has been promising winning the last 2 of 3 friendly games they’ve played, as they look to continue their winning streak. | Main Market: Double Chance (Home) = 1.38

Olympiacos, on the other hand, will be eager to test their squad against a strong European opponent after ending last season with 3 wins and a draw in their last 5 games including their European success. | Double Chance (Away) = 1.51

You can check out the Ajax vs Olympiacos Pre-season friendly on MSport here.