Cautionary tale from Denmark

Midtjylland play their second league game of the season away to AaB Aalborg tomorrow evening, hoping to win their first points.  Aab finished seventh last term, so it is a game Midtjylland will feel they have to win to get their domestic campaign on track.

Celtic are free of competitive pressures this weekend, facing West Ham at home tomorrow, where we can give players still working on their fitness an hour, then rest them for the trip to Denmark.

There is plenty of confidence ahead of the second leg against Midtjylland after a solid performance on Tuesday night but the name Aalborg will cause many of us to flinch.  The then Danish champions travelled to Celtic Park in the 2008 Champions League group stage.  It is fair to say they could be the weakest team we faced at that level, but indecisive finishing, for some of the game against 10 men, and a missed Barry Robson penalty, meant the game finished 0-0.

Celtic bossed the return leg at Aab’s tiny stadium and Robson atoned for his penalty miss by giving the visitors a second half lead.

Here’s the thing about football.  You can think you are safe, then a deflected shot flies in from nowhere and a deflected cross hits a defender and allows a semi-professional outfit to beat Celtic to the Uefa Cup spot.

I hope we use every moment of our preparatory time tomorrow wisely.  Nothing can be taken for granted.