Berlin to Lisbon

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A game against Union Berlin, from the second tier of German football, four days before our Champions League qualification campaign gets underway sounds like perfect preparation.  Union will be better than any opposition we have or will play since defeat in Turin last month and they will be miles ahead of our Champions League second qualifying round opponents.

Having to play six instead of last season’s four games to qualify for the group stage has cost Celtic ‘lucrative’ preseason friendlies.  I am sure those charged with the task of balancing the books at Celtic Park (we always pay our bills) will be less than entertained by this, and for many supporters, if feels important that we face Real Madrid or Inter Milan preseason, but the summer time is all about qualifying for the Champions League.  There are five weeks between Celtic’s opening qualifying game and the first leg of the play-off round.  This extra preparation time should ensure we are fitter and ready.

Legend has it that competitive football in July inevitably leads to a drop in form late in the season but legends are not always reliable.  Last year Basel entered Champions League qualification at the same stage Celtic will next season, and next week they become the first Swiss team to play competitive European football in May ever.  Apoel Nicosia entered at the same stage in 2011 and became Cyprus’ first qualifier for the Champions League quarter final last year.

The Champions League final of 2014 will be held in Lisbon, the first time the city has hosted Europe’s top game since………. you know when.  There are 1730 miles between Berlin and Lisbon, or 10 months, if you prefer.  Preparations are already underway.

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829 Comments

  1. Barca to go through is extremely unlikely. For Madrid, if they scored one, they would obviously only need another two to go through and Borussia would have become a little concerned. Were Barca to score one, they would still need another FOUR to go through.Bayern, a better side than Borrusia, would only begin to worry if Barca scored three.

     

    I backed Bayern at 4/1 to win the CL but I would still like to see Barca go through.

     

     

    JJ

  2. Doc – if you want to go for a famous score……………….

     

     

    Messi (1st goal) and 7-1 pays 900/1.

     

     

    :-)

  3. Paul67,

     

     

    Think I owe you a wee vote of thanks. WDH emailed me there. Hope you took a swipe at Leslie Riddoch on Saturday!

     

     

    Hail Hail!

  4. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    THAT WAS A REAL PENALTY……..DEARIE ME……..THE REF WAS LOOKING STRAIGHT AT IT….

  5. Doc

     

     

    We all are.

     

     

    Trouble is the greed, a couple of bob in the hope of winning a grand, it happens time from time, but the bookies love us doing it, they will win 99 times out of a 100.

     

     

    If I wager a pound, and walk away with my money, I am over the moon, if I walk away with a 10% profit, creamin time >}

  6. bournesouprecipe

     

    22:36 on

     

    30 April, 2013

     

    Someone has sneaked into Wembley and every single seat has a towel over it.

     

     

    All Jocks are tight miserable bar stewards!

     

     

    Racialstereotyping.com

  7. squire danaher on

    hebcelt

     

     

    22:31 on 30 April, 2013

     

     

    No bother m8

     

     

    Google is a great thing ha

     

     

    I can’t believe that STV get away with non-HD output as somebody said earlier, only prob is that with chann stored in “other channels” you can’t pause or rewind

     

     

    Only thing I watch on STV is news. Anything else ITV I watch on the HD or on sky 973 as it deprives STV the revenue

     

     

    Only problem is the old Kevin Bridges thing about him cheering on his dad putting on the 9– channels on Sky……

  8. Doc

     

     

    I know and that includes me when we were losing at Kilmarnock (and bet the win & draw) and same again v Aberdeen this season – they only come up once in a sevco moon!

     

     

    4-0 Barca in 90mins should get you at least 20/1 (which is quite poor) – to win in extra time at least 55/1 (whether by 1/2/3 or more goals – rather than a 5-4 score).

     

     

    If you fancy it – split the bet (e.g. 2 x £1) gives you two chances if it goes to E.T.

  9. Doctor Whatfor on

    67heaven

     

     

    It’s like you’re inside my head (God love ye). Messi is the real deal. Remember Swalex saying that Ronaldo wasn’t just a show pony. Well he is. Messi is a thoroughbred. There are no odds that I would back against them pulling it off.

  10. squire danaher

     

     

    Thanks for your reply last night, bed was calling

     

     

    Aye, tis a mugs game, thankfully I don’t bother with the horses, football is my problem.

     

     

    It’s a tad less corrupt than the cuddys, but corrupt all the same, especially in scotland, but it does help now and again.

     

     

    Some say they miss the huns, I do on the betting front, they were always good for a penalty if needed, always good for a dodgy decision, I miss them on that front, made quite a few bob off their backs.

     

     

    HH

  11. Doc

     

     

    If you haven’t got an account look for one that is currently offering a ‘match your bet’ when you sign up (i.e. deposit £10 and they give you a free £10 bet).

     

     

    Do your 2 bets @ £5 (because you are convinced they will win) and use the ‘free £10 bet’ on Barca to win @5/6 – your 2 bets don’t come up but Barca win and you are only down £1.67 on your overall investment.

     

     

    This information comes to you with the same advice re: stocks & shares – please note your investment may go up or down!

     

     

    :-)

  12. Hate to say it but Barcelona have no chance of going through. Although Messi is the best player in my lifetime they are four down to a strange no centre back signing policy.

     

     

    Munich are the best all round team in Europe by a mile though Barca are the best to watch.

  13. Doc.

     

     

    The only time I actually betted what I would say was a lot, was when the huns were in the cl a few year ago.

     

    Myself and a couple of mates bet a £100 on each game they played, we ended £400 Up

     

    It killed the huns in work as we photocopied the lines and posted them through their lockers :-)

  14. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    fortunes favour mibbes

     

     

    22:34 on 30 April, 2013

     

    Wasting my ten mins of crucial battery power to say, “BMCUW, love ya! :)))”

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    Bloonking floop,myate,twenty minutes too late to ask you how you are enjoying Birmingham!

     

     

    Hopefully you have been down there long enough to learn the language and understand the first three words of the above sentence……

     

     

    Forgot to mention,The Dubliner beside the bus station-never miss buses,me- is a nice wee boozer.

     

     

    Tell the big fella behind the bar that the hand-painted bottle of wine,Celtic crest,went to a loving Timmy home.

     

     

    Enjoy yourself,big fella,it’s not the worst place

     

     

    BMCUWP,looking forward to his return to Swindon,aye,right…….

  15. Allgreen

     

     

    Mentioned during commentary and on talkSPORT (when interviewing Spanish correspondent) – Barca interested in Dortmund CB Hummels.

  16. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Mug punting?

     

     

    Every punter has done it,shrugged their shoulders when the inevitable happens.

     

     

    And celebrated when you prove you are more of a genius than anyone…..

     

     

    Best one for me was being two down at halftime to Burley’s Hearts in the slim PLG season.

     

     

    Tenner for us to win at 28s a coupla days before New Year.

     

     

    And what a new year it was.

     

     

    From what I am told……

  17. squire danaher on

    TET 23:01

     

     

    All about finding a niche market, and mining it while it has the capacity to be profitable

     

     

    That’s an interesting point about fitba being less corrupt than the horses – I wonder how many Malaga fans would agree.

     

     

    The problem i found was that I was increasingly having to factor the referee into the equation – especially when the Dallas Cowboys take to the UEFA stage

     

     

    Webb tonight made some inexplicable calls which could and should have turned the course if the game.

     

     

    Ramos assaulted Lewandowski on at least two occasions before seeing a card and should have conceded a penalty. Coentrao should have sen straight red for a dreadful challenge on Lewandowski.

     

     

    Dortmund to qualify backers should have had a far easier night than they endured.

     

     

    Agenda? Who knows. With senior ex-SFA personnel in high positions at UEFA, who knows what they’re capable of.

     

     

    To all the punter irrespective of whether you take it seriously or call yourself a mug, BE LUCKY.

  18. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    I watched the STV News tonight and they showed some footage of the under 17’s game last night …….. The 3 arrests, and the disturbances during the game must have been sevco hoardes…..or they would have ensured ” Celtic fans” was highlighted ….. Night fholks ….!!!!