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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BT
danke
Sky Sports not reporting we’ve signed anybody.
:-(
Call me a cinic , but will Paddy be unvieled the same day as increased CL packages are released?
Happy birthday weefra and to Koln Celt also
☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️
” MARADOMINIC on 25TH AUGUST 2017 4:11 PM
BR says he doesn’t want players who only want to be here for CL…then why haven’t we signed players months ago??????? ”
`only`.
JJ
!!BADA BING!!
Yer a cynic!
;-)
See if the park is full…..
There will be no trophies stripped…..
There will be no dismantling of, SFA / SPFL…
There will be no emptying of the complicit Celtic PLC….[to be replaced by a, Celtic fans cooperative society, just like John Lewis]
There will be no removal of Dallas’s dark arts from Uefa….
See for as long as, the PLC can get away wi, agreeing to the spin of the same club lie by, agreeing to the reintroduction of the £49 old firm ticket pricing structure, and, thousands of Celtic supporters queue roon the building to purchase these tickets, many of whom, were having street parties on here and elsewhere, after they crowd funded the printing of a “statement” in an, obscure hun news paper that’s read by, two guys and a dug, well, it looks like the PLC have won oot the park, by their playing of their ‘ace’ card, Brendan Rodgers.
Ye see, by recruiting Brendan, the PLC have, not only saved their own skin, but they’ve ensured the preserve of the old firm. The PLC board had 30,000 empty seats breathing down their necks, and they knew they were looking at the end game.
Mark Warburton’s most famous victory, might have led to the recruitment of Brendan, and by doing so, the threat of a Celtic fans rebellion, on the basis of the momentum of the Gallant band of Res:12 Rebels, and the affect that, years of scant treatment of the product on the pitch, by the un-Celtic PLC board, was apathy, leading to freefall within a year.
So, the winners……
Celtic PLC
SFA / SPFL
Rangers FC
David Murray
Craig White
Hugh Dallas
53,000 Happy Clapping Seals
The losers,……
Every paying Scottish fitba fan for 25 years of Murray Mibbery
All the tax dodged victims during the 25 years
Aye,…”Yer teams died mate….”
…if only the £49 old firm tickets mugs had known, eh.
…..oot.
A couple to ponder from Pedroa Cash Machine ( BBC SITE) :
`Manager Pedro Caixinha says winger Michael O’Halloran does not have what it takes to represent Rangers.`
Membership of a Lodge?
“I always felt the support of the fans in the stadium,” he added. “What I need to tell you, and it’s a Portuguese saying, ‘the dogs bark and the caravan keeps going’. That means that we are focused in our work.
Glad you explained, Pedro.
JJ
KEVJUNGLE on 25th August 2017 4:39 pm
You chucked it in 2005 didn’t you??
HOT SMOKED
Sounds like he roomed with Eric Cantona.
My dogs are barking tonight
John candy trains plains
KevJ change the record please, agree with some of your points but your constant repitition is boring, try posting something fresh and original. H H Hebcelt
HOT SMOKED
poor auld Pedro. It would make more sense to me if he gave us his soundbites in Portuguese…..and I canny speak Portuguese!
Well, apart fae sagres, super bock and obrigada.
JJ
If it’s too esoteric even for you then it’s way too much for us mere mortals.
Mibbee ACGR might be able to explain it??
HH jamesgang
Thanks for the gin tips lads, monkey 57 (I like the number) or 47 I’ll have a few swigs of it if I see it in the bars,but Hebcelt sent the best message ( Old Tim I’ll get a hold of some Harris Gin and some newly released Barra Gin – keep it local!!!, Hebcelt I’m with you there, Will you be in the Blane Valley before the game, I’ve got my 3 rooms booked for the Champions League, as usual in the Millenium Hotel,if you could bring me a bottle of each and I’ll pay you then.
ZIGGYDOC1 on 25TH AUGUST 2017 2:34 PM
SOUTH OF TUNIS on 25TH AUGUST 2017 1:18 PM
Brussels-
————————–
A welcome blast from the past,
Plastic Bertrand, magique.
I’d have opted for Kraftwerk for Munich.
Paris, can’t decide between Juliette Binoche or Catherine Deneuve.
***********
Ziggydoc … While Ms. Binoche is indeed charming, actually, very charming, the answer is always Catherine Deneuve .
:)
Blantyretim @ 4.24
“a vast alcohol cabinet” you say.
Sounds like my kinda guy!
TK
Big consequences if we empty the park
We would be just like sevco ; skint
TERRYK
Nae worries! All gin recommendations welcome!
Heb Celt/Old Tim
Daughter and partner just back from visiting his extended family in Lewis kindly brought me back a bottle of Harris Gin. Darn fine tipple it is too, at 45% proof, only half way through the bottle, and in fact I’ve just had a great idea, I’m going to have one now and get in the mood for tomorrow’s game at CP!
HH
OT yes I’ll be there will get a hold of 1of each but they must make it back to Grangemouth!!! H H Hebcelt
A pal of mine has a ‘vast alcohol cabinet’.
Otherwise known as his throat-))
Friesdorfer nice one but it must have a slice of pink grapefruit in it!!!! Slainte H H Hebcelt
Chuckin it doon g65
An it’s the really wet stuff
Hope it’s better tomorrow
MILD MANNERED PEDRO DELGADO on 25TH AUGUST 2017 4:53 PM
Big consequences if we empty the park
We would be just like sevco ; skint
****
But, for me, much bigger consequences in the long run if our Club keeps slient/turning a blind eye to the cheating and the fans keep paying for that privilege ….
I think we lose what makes Celtic special…
Just checked out the Europa League draws.
Astana have trips to Villarreal (Valencia). Tel Aviv and Prague – all places worth a visit.
Arsenal have quite a tough draw – BATE, Cologne & Red Star Belgrade.
Bayern & PSG really tough fixtures for us but we can’t complain about the cities and Belgium has the beer!
TK
18 degrees ,dry and a bit of sun at KO tomorrow
£114 season ticket package
MIT
Well said, i agree. Do we really want to forget about the rampant cheating and collusion?. I wouldnt think so, thats if you want to retain any credibility whatsoever.
What is right, is right.
HH
ST holders have until 2nd September
Good, Celtic have until 31st August to spend some of the money they are making from us
£114 three match package
£090 concession
£081 under 13s
For season ticket holders
http://www.celticfc.net/news/13148
MIT
Yeah but Kevin saying just empty the park
He’s asking us to give away the advantage we have over the sevies
Don’t know if it was in Paul’s leader but somebody mentioned
Anderlecht and the cheating lots of similar obstacles from the authorities , timebars a
And the like just the same as sevco/sfa
Makes me think is the same thing going to happen re title stripping
That could mean making a decision
Do we walk away from the game. They win
Or do we keep going to Celtic park and they are never coming back like they were . We win
WDH
Good call on the bier. When in Rome….or Munich and all that. My lhad was there 3 weeks ago and has just booked the trip, he loves the place, as do I.
So HEBCELT, you are telling Kevjungle to “Move along, that’s in the past!”?
MARADOMINIC
Naw!
He’s asking him to change the bliddy record!
Re ‘the dogs bark…’ quote.
I remember Fergus McCann using this phrase way back when – he was asked by a radio journalist if the negativity of the press ever got to him, and he replied ‘No. The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.’
Boom!
The CL increase from last year should cover a transfer fee for Paddy..
#fagpacketmaths