Celtic join Barcelona, Milan and Ajax in the Champions League’s only group of former champions.
We beat Barcelona and Milan the last time we played each of them, and eliminated Ajax from the same competition last time we met 12 years ago. This is an incredibly difficult group, but it is the job we wanted this time yesterday.
Now we must get ready for the task ahead. Prepare properly and fear no one.
There will be a ticket scramble, among those who didn’t renew their season tickets………..
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Good night and thanks.
God bless all who need your help this night.
After all, it’s just a game of fitba’!
paddy power a regular on talksport
will he come on tomorrow and apologise
for their disgusting remarks
i doubt it
just dont give them any custom.
Marti
Only last month… billy and liz welcomed our own BT into their house… he deserves a medal for that :))))
Up over goal.
I met Billy a few weeks ago. Spent a couple of hours in his home. He abd liz are lovely people and don’t deserve this sort of distasteful behaviour.
The oerson responsible is obviously an ignorant cliwn and deserves a severe reprimand from his employer.
Had he tweeted something similar about anyone in my family i would want to tear his head off and I can’t fight sleep..
Billy is the head of our family..CelticFC
Anyone heard anything further on Finnbogason?
Would like to think he’s still a possibility.
HH!
With friends like you tbj..;-)
j67
22:21 on 29 August, 2013
paddy power a regular on talksport
will he come on tomorrow and apologise
for their disgusting remarks
i doubt it
just dont give them any custom.
Yes and given the presenters on talksport were wetting themselves about big Billy’s problems opening the balls, I doubt PP will come on as they would have to apologise too – no chance
Here is the initial reaction from the websites of our opponents in the Champions League group stage:
From http://www.acmilan.com/it/news/breaking_news
“CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP H: THE SITUATION OF OPPONENTS IN THEIR CHAMPIONSHIPS
MILAN – Here are the situation in their respective leagues and the last races addressed by the three opponents drawn in the second round Champions League AC Milan:
The Barcelona currently occupies first place in the Spanish Liga with 6 points scored in two games. Liga last race of the Blaugrana have exceeded the Malaga 1-0 away. Barcelona have also won the Spanish Super Cup against Atletico Madrid by virtue of a 1-1 draw away to Madrid and a 0-0 draw in the second leg at Camp Nou.
Ajax currently occupies the fourth place in the Eredivisie, with 7 points from four games. The last game of the season saw the Ajax match 3-3 at Heerenveen.
Celtic are currently second in the Scottish Premiership, with 7 points from 3 games. The last game of the season saw Celtic a 2-2 draw at home to Inverness. The Scots have passed the Play-off Champions League overcoming the Shakhter Karagandy. After the 2-0 defeat away to Celtic has overturned the result imposing 3-0 in the return to Scotland.”
From http://www.ajax.nl/Ajax-Nieuws/Ajax-Nieuws.htm
“Ajax draw Barcelona, Milan and Celtic
Ajax is linked to FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Celtic during the draw for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in Monaco. The reigning champion is with the Spaniards, Italians and the Scots in Group H.
Ajax begins on Wednesday, September 18th with an away game against Barcelona. The first home game is on Tuesday, October 1st against AC Milan.
For the first time in history Ajax plays an official game against powerhouse FC Barcelona. The 22-time Spanish champion, the European Cup / Champions League four times. There are many links between Ajax and FC Barcelona. As played including Johan Cruyff (as a player and coach), Frank de Boer and Marc Overmars for both clubs. Last season Barcelona striker Isaac Cuenca on loan for Ajax. This season has hired Ajax Bojan Krkic Barca.
Ajax and 18-time Italian champions AC Milan were fourteen times before facing each other, which twice in friendly relation. In the 1994-1995 season played Ajax and Milan as three games against each other, including the final in Vienna won by Ajax. AC Milan, the European Cup / Champions League won a total of seven times. The triple World [Champions] have the ex-Ajax Nigel de Jong and Urby Emanuelson on the payroll.
Ajax and Celtic met ten times before. Six times at European level and four times in an exhibition game. The 44-fold Scottish champion won the European Cup in 1967. In Celtic are former Ajax player Derk Boerrigter and Dutchman Virgil van Dijk under contract.”
From http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/futbol/primer-equip/detall/noticia/messi-sera-un-grup-dificil
“Messi: It will be a difficult group
The Argentinian, present at the Champions League draw in Monaco, praised the rivals of Barca in the group stage
Messi made a first assessment of group H in which the club has been drawn with AC Milan, Ajax and Celtic.
“They come tightly matched. The meetings will be beautiful. In our case we have already played games against Milan and Celtic, and is the first time we played against Ajax. I think it’s a difficult group, as always.”
Leo Messi and his teammates prepare to face a season full of challenges.
“The team is required to make this club what it is. We are preparing even though it is increasingly difficult because the other teams are stronger.”
The following fixture list is published on all three of our opponents’ official websites:
Wed 18 Sep
FCB v Ajax
Milan v Celtic
Tue 1 Oct
Celtic v FCB
Ajax v Milan
Tue 22 Oct
Milan v FCB
Celtic v Ajax
Wed 6 Nov
FCB v Milan
Ajax v Celtic
Tue 26 Nov
Ajax v FCB
Celtic v ACM
Wed 11 Dec
FCB v Celtic
Milan v Ajax
Please confirm all details yourself before making any arrangement to attend or watch matches. Do not rely on this information alone.
For those who wish to join me in emailing Paddy Power to inform them that I will no longer be placing any bets with them
support@paddypower.com
Saddo that I am, I watched the UEFA draw LIVE.
Felt for big Billy.
But Cruyff AND Figo had the same problem.
The Paddy Power remarks are insensitive to say the least.
Billy looked frail – God, have they no respect FFS.
Totally crass of them.
BT
KMAP :)
bt
Agree re Billy.
He will always be my greatest ever Celtic player.
I’ve met him a couple of times, most notably in the Hook and Eye in Stonehaven, where we watched Celtic beat Hearts 3-2 after being 2-0 down.
He had told us he was going in to hospital for a hip op (I think) and how he wasn’t looking forward to it.
After the game, as he got up to leave, i said how much I’d enjoyed his company.
As he was going out the door I kinda shouted “oh and good luck with the op!”
He came over to me and said “thanks a lot big man, I’d forgotten all about it”
A statesmen of a sportsman.
A true legend and a gentleman too.
I love the big ghuy.
Interesting facts-
Celtic have never won in Italy.
Celtic have never won an opening game in the Champions league.
If we got a draw in the San Siro, that would be incredible.
Copy of Email sent to Paddy Power.
Still raging!
I am not often stirred in anger to complain but feel I must in response to the insulting tweet attributed to Paddy Power today regards Billy McNeill and the champions league draw.
To poke fun at an obviously frail 73 year old man could at best be described as insensitive and ill advised, worse than that though is to ridicule a frail 73 year old man who has health issues .
This man your spokesman deemed a good target for a laugh is not in the best of health , but is an icon to millions of Celtic supporters worldwide, a true legend and ambassador for the game of football as a whole.
Cannot believe a company with its roots in Ireland is not aware of this given the connection our club has with the country.
Not happy.
Would suggest a sizeable donation to Alzheimer’s Scotland which would in some way recognise hopefully your remorse.
ellboy,
He is the player I would have had in before any other mentioned.
It definitely looks as though Pukki is a certainty though.I don’t think we’ll get Finnbogason
unless Heerenveen cave in on their asking price.Assuming of course we are even interested in him.
theoriginalsadiesbhoy
22:06 on 29 August, 2013
I believe you are confusing ‘taxi-driver drivel’ and ‘1970’s style pub-talk nonsense’ as witnessed here recently as questioning authority.
I have yet to see anything on here from what could be classed as the pint half full bhoys as anything other than conspiratorial clap trap. Occasionally, it’s clear some bhoys just want the bhoys to win so badly they cannot countenance a reverse – a difficult lifestyle if you are following a sport.
Keepscrollingbycfc
Watching Billy at the draw was a huge shock to me. Having not seen him being interviewed for some time, I assumed he would be as he always is – a giant. As soon as he came on, however, he looked unsure of himself – not knowing where to go or what to do. When the questions began about the Lisbon game I feared he had taken stage fright – he didn’t really seem to know what to say. Thankfully the presenters kept it short and when he moved over to do the draw I thought that would be that – that he would regain his composure and settle down to the job at hand.
Then the agony really began. When he couldn’t unscrew the ball you could see the confusion in his face. And then it happened again, and again, and again. The presenter had to tell him on each occasion just to give it to him but Billy kept trying to do it himself. And every time the presenter had to ask him to hold the team on the paper up to the camera as every time Billy seemed to forget what he just been asked to do the minute before.
As all this was happening I first thought perhaps his hands were sweating so couldn’t get any grip of the balls. But the confusion on his face broke my heart – Caesar is not a well man and people in the audience as well as all over the world were laughing at him. Is it well known that he is unwell? I just had no idea about it until someone on here mentioned he had Alzheimers. Surely to God the organisers would have tested to see if Billy could open the balls if they knew he was sick?
When we then saw a fit and youthful Figo having almost as tough a time opening his balls it would have dawned on everyone that the balls were secured far too tightly. Cruyff also struggled a couple of times with his draw. But by then Billy was back in his seat having been made to look like a frail old man in front of the world. Whoever screwed those balls together deserves to have their own equally treated tonight.
Hail, Hail to Caesar – the Greatest Living Celt and the greatest ambassador for our Club for half a century. May you grace us with your presence for years to come.
Doc whatfor
E mail sent
BT – well said re Billy. It was painful viewing today at times, but more down to the fact that you felt you were watching a close family member struggling.
Lenny spoke for us all later on SSN, when he mentioned the pride we all felt that Billy was being honoured at the UEFA ceremony today.
Very proud of both Celtic legends.
T4
Fan a tic
Adam is lucky also, to have Mr McGrain as his coach. Why do we have a plethora of good right backs now. Danny will make Adam world class. Just like Danny once was.
burghboy,
Well said mate.
If a picture paints a thousand words…
Genuine lump in throat moment
https://twitter.com/chris_conway82/status/373156163484794880/photo/1
Don’t Celtic need 3 keepers for the CL?
Might we see another keeper brought in on loan or something?
Delighted with the draw, my boy can see Celtic against three of the most famous clubs in European football history, and I’m sure some Spanish, Italian and Dutch fathers are saying the same about their kids seeing one of the most famous clubs in European football history….
GladIgotaseasonticket.com
Ayrshire is Green and White
HH
notthebus
Magic.
If Barca have already secured first place before the last match and we need at least a point from the game in the Camp Nou, do we think that they might rest a couple of key players and not over-exert themselves?
I thought not.
They’re at home to Villarreal four days later and away to Getafe a week after that, so I wouldn’t have thought that they’d need much rest to win those two!
Good Night all
Ps is Petec ok?
Notthebus
What a moving montage mate !
What a history we have
Just magic
BRTH
SFA and the window deadline.
I think sticking rigidly to this is more to do with covering their own ass re sevco rather than being designed against us in this case. An extension to Monday would then allow sevco to sign players for money not just out of contracts. They want to avoid the inevitable uncomfortable exposure that would then come to them.
However, it doesn’t help us or others affected.
HH
Anyone seen the video of the Legia Warsaw fans response to a UEFA fine for flares?
_
They let off about a hundred of them and light up a whole end! I hope the GB don’t get any idea’s…
blantyre tim and bournesouprecipe
Points taken. It was indeed distressing to see King Billy like that.
Up over
Appreciate everything you say.
What was tweeted was needless and such a shame on so many levels.
HH
notthebus
Is that Craig Brown doing a shift as a steward looking on? ;-)
HH
Sir Paul..
Man O Man O SChewitz!
We goat..
Barca, Milano and Ajax!
Gosh, GeeWlillackers!!!!
Ah asked that weel known Seer…The Mysterious, Alyss La Fey
“Whit Ur oor Chances??”
and she said..
“Celtic,hiv as Much Chance of Progressing intae the Sweet Sixteen..
as.. YOU hiv .. In Findin’ a “B” Battery, at yer local Radio Shack!!”
“Is that Right? So.. How aboot the Barras oan a Sunday Mornin”, then?”
Asked I.
“No.. Let me pit it this Way…
Ye wid Hiv hid a Bettah chance of finding a Unicorn,in the auld Calderpark Zoo.
than Celtic will Hiv in Qualifying fur the Last Sixteen… This Time!! ”
“We don’t hiv Much of a Chance ,then?.. If Ah read ye Right.”
“Ah didnae say that.. ” Alyss, Quothed.
“That’s Right…Ye didnae.. Did Ye?”
“Ah didnae.”
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Hmmmmmmmphhh!
Kojo
Still Laughin’
Leftclick
His Mum is unwell.
He posted a few days back & asked us all to pray for her.
up_over_goal
22:03 on
29 August, 2013
bournesouprecipe
The Paddy Power thing – an ill-advised joke, no? They said the person responsible ‘wasn’t aware of the circumstances’. No need for mass emailing, surely?
……………………………………………………………..
You keep betting with them………….they deserve you.
Hi
Been lurking since the night Robbie Keane Signed! And am no a hun! Don’t know if Im a happy clapper or a board basher (Depends on my mood)
Delighted with the draw. Would have preferred Madrid but they can wait for later
Just booked the flights to Barcelona. Still only £50 return from Bristol.I have never seen the hoops play in Europe before. (I don’t count the two friendlies we payed in Portugal a few years back. Cardiff and some local team). Hello to any CQN’rs that were drinking in Jinky’s bar Albufera for the week.
Its my 40th the day after the game so i’m taking the wife and kid.
3 nights in Barca I cant wait.
Haven’t booked hotel yet. Can anyone advise which part of the city is good to stay in? or any parts to avoid?
Why any Hoops fan would listen to the drivel spouted on Talksport is well beyond me. An absolute sewer of a radio station….I’d sooner listen to Clyde’s SSB and we all know how pash that is!
Adrian Durham is listed in the Oxford English Dictionary under “ladygarden”!
T4