Celtic handed good omen as lucky charm ref set to take charge of Bayern Munich Champions League clash

Celtic will encounter a familiar face as French referee Benoit Bastien prepares to take charge of Tuesday night's must-win Champions League clash at the Allianz Arena.

The Hoops travel to Munich aiming to overturn last week's 2-1 first-leg playoff defeat at Parkhead but will have to bury their German jinx to keep their last 16 hopes alive. Celts have never won on German soil, losing on 12 of their visits. However, despite slipping to defeat against Vincent Kompany's superstars last week, Brendan Rodgers' runaway Premiership leaders have beaten Bundesliga opposition this season - dismantling RB Leipzig 3-1 in November's league phase clash in Glasgow.

Whistler Bastien was the man in the middle that night, and the Parkhead side will be reunited with the Frenchman in Bavaria. It could be a good omen for the Scottish champions, as they've won all three games experienced Bastien has officiated. The 41-year-old was also on-field for proceedings at Celtic Park last season as the Bhoys finally ended their ten-year wait for a Champions League win by defeating Feyenoord 2-1.

And three years prior, he took charge of his first Celts fixture as Odsonne Edouard scored the winner in a Europa League qualifier away to Bosnians FK Sarajevo. Rodgers and the green-and-white faithful will be hoping the ref is a lucky charm as they attempt to upset the odds against six-time European Cup winners Bayern Munich.

UEFA have confirmed that Bastien will form an all-French officiating team for the second leg, with compatriots Hicham Zakrani and Aurelien Berthomieu running the lines and Jeremie Pignard serving as the fourth official. Willy Delajod will lead the VAR team, with Benoit Millot assisting.