Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain will bring some autumn glamour to Glasgow in the Champions League group stage. Bayern are second favourites for the trophy, PSG, fifth. The challenge to reach the knock out stage could scarcely be greater.
Anderlecht, by comparison, offer substantially less-ominous opposition, but a quick glance at their European form will dissuade anyone from underestimating the Belgian champions.
The group bears a remarkable resemblance to Celtic’s 2003 Champions League group, the last time we faced Bayern and Anderlecht, with another French side, Lyon, ending up as group winners. All four teams finished within three points, with Bayern and Lyon both winning the final games by a single goal – dropped points would have seen them eliminated. Celtic qualified for the Uefa Cup, courtesy of a superior head-to-head record against Anderlecht.
Anderlecht started last season slowly (as they have this season), failing to reach the Champions League group stage, but that only spurred them on for a memorable Europa League campaign. In Europe’s second-tier tournament, they won away in Azerbaijan before recording draws in France (St Etienne) and Germany (Mainz, whom they beat 6-1 in Brussels). Fortunate form for trips to those two territories this term.
They knocked-out Zenit and APOEL Nicosia in the first two Europa League rounds before being eliminated 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-final by Manchester United. Those are very decent European results, but it you want some comfort, Ajax went all the way to the final 14 weeks ago, and they were beaten home and away by Rosenborg this month. It’s not about what you did yesterday that counts.
At Celtic Park, we have a punchers’ chance against Bayern and PSG, but our measure of progress this season will be determined by results against Anderlecht. The night we beat them 3-1 in 2003 counts as one of our great Champions League performances, the stadium rose to a man and blew the Belgian champions away. Watch the highlights if you are in any doubt about this.
The 2003 1-0 defeat by 10 men in Brussels still rankles as an underachievement. Losing to an 86th minute goal in Munich, after being ahead with 17 minutes to go, and losing to an 86th minute penalty in Lyon, leaves me feeling we have some scores to settle.
Let’s take them this time, Brendan. You know you can…
NEW CQN PODCAST – PAUL DYKES PRESENTS WITH FORMER CELTIC CAPTAIN ANDY LYNCH AND SPECIAL GUEST PAT STANTON
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!!Bada Bing!! on 26th August 2017 12:00 pm
:))
MAD MiTCH @ 11 41.
The Price of Living .
Just paid 1.50 euros for a caffe freddo with granita in the wee beach bar . Same thing costs a euro on the main street .
I paid £ 65 to see a musical in London .
I have paid £45 to see /hear The Zombies doing the Odessey &Oracle LP at the Palladium in late September .
Whoever it was that picked Olivier Ntcham knows about football. Another 2 signings of the same quality, and we will give the big teams a scare.
HH
SOUTH OF TUNIS on 26TH AUGUST 2017 12:03 PM
That’s fine and dandy, but supporters like to think that their relationship with the Club is not just a purely commercial one and that Celtic is ‘more than a business’.
Hence the grumbling and disenchantment.
Maybe fans are being naive.
Expect a full strength Celtic side today in Parkhead with no requirement to protect or rest players, unlike
last weekend.
Difficult starting line up to predict with the injury situation but hopefully Simunovic will return on our grass, to be partnered with Nir Bitton our most experienced rookie centreback.
Likewise Mikel Lustig to start despite those critical of his midweek performance he’s an auto pick when fit, toss up between Rogic and MacGregor with Ntcham to keep Armstrong on the bench.
Forrest, Brown, Sinclair, and Griffiths is full strength
IMHO csc
Gordon
Ralston Simunovic Ajer Tierney
Brown Ntcham
Hayes Rogic Sinclair
Griffiths
Subs. DeVries Bitton Lustig Armstrong McGregor Forrest Benyu
Half time draw – Paddy
3-1 Celtic. Griffiths 2 Sinclair
Tallybhoy on 26th August 2017 11:50 am
Barcelona sign Dembele for €105 million, plus add-ons!
Don’t panic!
It’s the Borussia Dortmund wan.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
To be honest – I wouldn’t have been panicking – I would have been celebrating
This week’s CQN Coupon –
Awalkacrosstherooftops – Wigan
Bobby Murdoch’s Curled-Up Winklepickers – Stirling Albion
Gerryfaethebrig – Aberdeen
Jobo Baldie – Morton
Lennybhoy – Middlesbrough
Pogmathonyahun – Watford
The Exiled Tim – Cardiff
Lobbed in, looking for a reaction, as per usual. Same M.O.
Its not hard to see
Im sure Timbhoy 1 and The Donald would agree with Scullybhoy.
Yawn
THE EXILED TIM on 25TH AUGUST 2017 9:26 PM
RT
I also wish the same, I just have this horrible feeling that something is just around the corner that will energize them again.
When you really think about it, we are only Brendan Rodgers leaving away from being close to them again, throw in the corrupt powers and the cheats with the whistles………………
HH
…………………….
TET, I always read your posts and agree with a lot of the things you say so I hope you won’t take offence when I say that you are beginning to sound like Kev Jungle. The last sentence of your post is utter tosh.
We can’t spend silly money on players and have lots of top players sitting about doing nothing, if we are lucky we can get about 16 good players within our budget and the rest of the team needs to be made up of academy players
We need players who are willing to hang about for a couple of years before we punt for as much as we can for them.
Shite situation to be in but we don’t have a choice.
Copy and repeat until the arse falls out of television or the bigger clubs from smaller league decide to set up pan regional euro leagues. Not likely if we are all, on occasion, getting into c/l but very likely if the bigger clubs from bigger leagues continue to marginalise the historic clubs like Alex, psv, anderlecht, celtic etc…
Uefa are playing with fire if its current agenda I. E looking after the rich big league clubs continues.
They should remember that the smaller countries combine to make up a massive television audience and then their greed train will be fucked
HH
Stephbhoy
We cant spend silly money on players, but we can improve the team by adding better quality, like ON. 2 more players of that calibre in defence and attack would surely help. We dont need to go mad, just be clever.
HH
Gordon
Ralston Jozo KT Miller
Broonie Ntcham
Rogic
Forrest Griff Sinclair
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 26TH AUGUST 2017 12:03 PM
sent you a message.enjoy.
Stephbhoy
Well said mate
Way back the “diddy clubs” said to us Celtic need somebody to play against or there’s no point Celtic being Celtic (paraphrasing)
Same in our situation re Europe
The big historic clubs should get together. F dem
On signing players
Could be a sign of Brendan going for quality as he has said
Ps about 400 million people make up the biggest 6 nations in europe the remaining 400 million are made up of people from smaller nations.
if uefa think the elite clubs (top league clubs) in smaller countrises will forever struggle by they show a lack of understanding about the rules of survival
HH
What a goal Bournemouth !
If we got €105m for our Dembele we’d see CL price increases to match and a spend of maybe £2m + salaries.
MWD
MWD
Im still puzzled why its 49 quid to see Celtic v Newco, but only 38 quid to see a game against Bayern,PSG, or Anderlecht.
Do you think somebody is at it?:)
HH
It’s easy to moan on a blog, angst, dreams, petulance, it’s all on the CQN today.
The more manic, corporal Jones types have had their gas turned down to a peep, since Brendan arrived.
Perhaps the written words reveal more about the individuals themselves ?
I’m happy and content that Celtic are back on track and Brendan Rodgers’ aims and aspirations are as heartfelt as any Tims.
Listen to the guy, stifle the criticism of team and players.
Mumping and moaning from an ignorant vantage point ? How daft is that – self defeating.
BCW
Could you be more specific?
Or is it just a random rant about other posters ranting?
The green Man, I totally agree hopefully we can get a quality winger and moving forward a riget back. Still think our squad is to big and we need to cut a few still imo
MMPD, spot on the lack of competition will kill the c/l stone dead. Viewing figures for footy is poor compared to before despite which the TV money is crazy high
We walk and they are fucked as pan regional leagues made up of smaller nations would command same tv audiences. Those same pan euro leagues offering an alternative euro championship i.e mirroring current European set up would be equal to current set up and would kill at least 50% of their audience
Shame that would be, not
HH
Well I suppose the moaners feel a little bit left out these days with everything good at CP they had to find something to go on about I suppose, so why not jump on the CL ticket prices that’ll do it, lawwells department that is right,? Ok in we go lads, there’s nothing else there to beat the board with so we will go down that road see what mileage we get ok?
And of course it is they’r right, and the lurking Huns love it and pounce on it too bless um :))
TD67
I was moaning about players, but now you come to mention it, 49 quid to see Celtic against Sevco, seems a bit steep:)
HH
Koln Celt
Verspatete Gluckwunsche zum Geburtstag.
HH
Cologne Celt
Happy birthday
No firrin talk on here :)
“Yes, the result is what really matters but we need to look behind the curtain. And behind the curtain is the window that the caravan is moving. So let the dogs bark.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Yes, now I understand.
TD67
I was moaning about players, but now you come to mention it, 49 quid to see Celtic against Sevco, seems a bit steep:)
HH
Well! And this is just me being me of course, the window hasent closed yet so it’s not really a topic yet right? Not saying it won’t be, then you have the when the window closes post, about the player being good enough, let the people who are doing a grand job up to now as far as I’m concerned get on with it I say, then judge, but as a said that’s just me bein me :))
Anyway Mast be here in five mins. To pick me up, we’re off ti the Brazen, enjoy the game lads and HH
Lurking Huns and caravan dogs GIRFUYs
TD67
Believe me, im happy to see our bhoys in the CL competing with the best, ive got no complaints about Brendan or the players.
Im just happy to see us play well.
We can always improve though.
HH
Hang on a minute.
The huns are in the SPL and so far as the Scottish football authorities are concerned are the same club with the same history.
Celtic have said and done nothing to challenge that.
They have acquiesced.
Any Celtic fans who are content to accept that should be ashamed of themselves.
TGM
Yeah it’s a rant about ranters :-)
Some could use the post as a mirror.
Ernie
Yes Celtic have said nowt.
There’s been little from the support either.
Ernie Lynch @1:15
Yes indeed, its that clear.
If we can have honesty in football, we have nothing.
HH
BCW
Nothing wrong with a rant, its good for you:)
Some of the finest ranters are here on CQN:)
HH
Celtic have made no statement regarding the continuity myth. Neither has any other club in Scotland.
On Iron Horse heading to Paradise.