Benfica enjoyed a 0-2 away win on Friday evening to remain joint-top of the Portuguese league with Porto. They will have enjoyed a day off while Celtic played on Saturday and will two days training before tomorrow’s game. By contrast, Celtic player will have rested yesterday and will get no more than a run out inside Estadio da Luz tonight. With games coming thick and fast at the moment, hopefully rest is the most important requirement for the players.
Benfica shredded Spartak for most of the second half in Moscow but contrived to miss what chances they created, allowing the Russians their only win of the group so far. The return game in Lisbon was a comfortable win for the home team.
Neil Lennon has some major tactical decisions to make. He will surely acknowledge the danger Benfica pose but has to find a way of scoring an away goal or two. Match day one between Celtic and Benfica brought a 0-0 draw, ostensibly a good result for the visitors, but the group has matured since then. Both teams played that game as though it was an away game; Benfica were happy to defend and Celtic, in their first Champions League game since 2008, were keen to feel their way back into the tournament.
This time Benfica will attack with speed and hope that Celtic open up a little more than they did against Barcelona. It’s important also to acknowledge that while Benfica are no Barcelona, they will also be less predictable than the Catalans, we will not have it all our own way in the air.
It’s going to be a game tiring 90 minutes where the use of fresh legs could be crucial but an early Celtic goal would allow Neil Lennon to set his stall out clearly.
Orders are now open for the very first CQN Annual, get it here!
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C’mon the Celts tonight one more great performance away from home and a place in the last 16 should be ours
Whither the cash strapped scrofulous hillbillies, and their scrofulous cash strapped cuzz, the day?
Breaking news ..oldtim turns down interview with sky sports news..hh
What a joy it is to see Estadio’s pen back capturing his mercurial mood-swings.
On a site blessed with some truly gifted writers, he shines like an eccentric shooting star.
Hard game tonight, I don’t think our record against Portuguese teams in Portugal is great [ pace Boavista].
Fraser will need to look out the ole sticky gloves again.
English based radio Talksport with live commentary of Benfica v Celtic whilst in Scotland STV will cover Chelsea.
Another shameless bump….check out Estadio on page14
Ernie
67 and Big Jock with 11 Scots in the team will never be repeated by anyone let alone Celtic.
I see where you are coming from with the great expectations angle but on the whole I think the team and fans draw inspiration from 67 and it is a positive thing.
Benfica are still strong favourites to win tonight though.
My worry is that Barca don’t win in Moscow and we face a revitalised Spartak needing a win at Celtic Park.
H.H.
I’ll be watching the game from my usual places tonight…
1) From behind the settee
2) Keekin roon the kitchen wall
3) Fae behind the curtain
4) I’ll visit the toilet 6 or 7 times
5) In and oot the fridge 7 or 8 times
6) Ah’ll dae awe the chores that should have been done over the past 6 months…..and only when we’re 3 up wi 2 mins to play will ah actually sit doon n watch it n hope that they can’t score 4 in 2 minutes
Ernie,
Nope. Not at all. Too long ago and too many format changes.
Truly inspirational.
Incredible graphic showing change in landscape of Palestine over last 60 odd years.
https://twitter.com/rationalists/status/270689924326498305/photo/1
31003,
You and thousands of others my friend.
Ps I would only begin to relax in the last 60 seconds of added time.
Hail! Hail!
Training in the stadium is a step too far for me. I thought so the last time. A wee visit is one thing, photos with the fans etc, but training is misguided.
31003,
I sometimes adopt the ‘through the fingers’ option ;)
ernie lynch – agreed.
Lenny’s decision? He seems to be playing it down in interviews.
Retracing Celtic’s Lisbon Footsteps
Richie
09:28 on 20 November, 2012
I was in Lisbon for the last game when “the Heid” beat us 3-0.
Took a taxi to the Estadio Nacional and by chance the team and the Lions were there at the same time.
It’s hard to describe the feeling of walking on the pitch and down the tunnel. Big Tam Gemmell was holding court outside the dressing rooms and he said the place was more or less exactly as it was in ’67.
Any of you lucky enough to be there, it’s a MUST DO!
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Richie,
Tam should be in our thoughts at the moment.
He is an absolute hero for anyone who watched him.
I like to think of him bombing up the wing,blootering the ball into the net,kicking a miscreant German up the arse.
That’s my Tommy.
A lot of the Lisbon Lions are getting on now,I think some are faring better than others.
We will always love them,we will always treasure them.
But do we value them,when some have effectively died in poverty?
Difficult one,I think.
Henriks Sombrero – there doesn’t appear to be an increase in Israeli land in the last two graphics. What is the grey area?
Estadio, I read your post through the night, it fair cheered me up and brought a warm smile.
I need to get over to Sharkeys and thank you properly, keep it lit sir!
V
BMCUW
I know what you mean. It seems not so long ago that losing a Lion was unthinkable, but they are getting on (as are we all!)
But they will always live on in the memories of Celtic fans as long as the club lives…
….which is forever!!
I arrived in the ozzy bush today for 2weeks work so not gonna see any the game or be able to check here for updates.
Hope the bhoys have gret trip and lenny and the bhoys bring back some points.
God bless the tic
ernie lynch
09:41 on 20 November, 2012
greenjedi
09:38 on 20 November, 2012
‘Regarding how the police get names from who’s sitting on seatsd etc im sure the club have little wiggle room in not giving them the names. but why do the gb not just all swap seats in different rows?’
That would breach stadium regulations and would in itself leave them open to being ejected from the stadium.
Are you advocating that fans ignore stadium regulations?
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Ach,Ernie f… off
Yer just being a prick now.
Oh and I’m gonnae twat it onto twitter just as soon as the mobi reception picks up.
With credit to you of course Estadio.
V
Patrick Barclay thinks Huns won CWC in 68
Otherwise not a bad commentary on Celtic for a Dundee fan
‘2 to 11 wanted to attack and Ronnie Simpson would have if Jock let him…’
‘Celtic was best result and performance’
Now corrected Huns won on ’68 nonsense…phew!
tomtheleedstim
11:09 on
20 November, 2012
Not sure what the grey areas are. Maybe unoccupied land ? Barren desert ? Not sure.
I forgot, twitter disnae allow epic posts :>)
I think the grey area is simply the outline of the proposed Palestinian state in the UN 1947 agreement; most of this is now part of Israel.
ernie lynch
11:00 on
20 November, 2012
Training in the stadium is a step too far for me. I thought so the last time. A wee visit is one thing, photos with the fans etc, but training is misguided.
…………
Why?
IMO we should look to be booking the Estadio for pre-season training every year, encouraging fans to come along and watch, organising bounce games for the fans on the pitch etc.
Paddy Barclay on talksport a great listen…Murdo next.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
11:21 on
20 November, 2012
I think the grey area is simply the outline of the proposed Palestinian state in the UN 1947 agreement; most of this is now part of Israel.
Yep, that’s what it looks like.
Saltires
Did u hear Andy Gray correct Paddy to ’68’…:)
saltires en sevilla-Paddy Barclay ” the 60s was great for Scottish football,Rankers won Cup Winners Cup in ’68..”,Andy Gray-“’69 it was…”
TootingTim
You gotta love those intelligent, well informed, accurate hundits!!
TT,BB
They clearly don’t know their history.
Not surprised wi Gray,but bloody flabbergasted wi Barclay.
tomtheleedstim
11:09 on
20 November, 2012
What is the grey area?
This shows the 1947 UN plan
Tootin – yes I heard Gray correct that ‘error’- after a quick google hehehe
Bada- aye AG – he must have known but happy to leave the image hanging there for long enough
Also – Patrick Barclay huge shout for The Big Shot – a left back 2 goals in 2 European Cup finals – from open play not penalty (actually his goal v Feyenoord was from free kick …) but his intentions were very positive
I like PB
Cesc Fàbregas left the passport with his visa for Russia in his other suit and turned up with a second passport (perfectly legit), but without a visa for Russia.
Ouch.
He got in, but there was a delay. Asked about it at the pre-match press conference, Cesc said: “The person who arranged all the documentation assured me everything was in order. He tricked me. He was obviously a Real Madrid fan.”
How everyone laughed.
Imagine one of our players said anything like that about a bureaucrat being a Hibs fan. Wooooffft.
I think the new special Sevconian volume of the Guinness book of World Records will show they won the ECWC in ’68,’69, ’70 [defeating Italy 4-1 in the Final] and ’71.
They also won the Mackeson Gold Cup,the World Series, the Ashes, the Stanley Cup, the African Nations Cup, the tour de France [ on the famous ole bicyclette du St Etienne ] the Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine, and Miss World.