Slippers on and a balanced meal is in store tonight for Celtic players, as they prepare to face our nearest challengers in the league on Sunday. Their opponents have a game which should see them progress to the Europa League quarterfinals. Despite their 1-3 win in the first leg, Fenerbahce are not Queen’s Park, this will be a draining game for both sides.
It is a measurable fact that athletes do not fully replenish muscle glycogen within three days. Two games a week carries an energy burden, putting players into what sports scientists call the “red zone”.
Red zone concerns before Celtic last met Newco might well have cost Philippe Clement his job. Worried about Celtic, he rested players for the games in the week before Celtic’s visit. Newco took one point from six that week, rendering their win over Celtic moot. The league was gone and all Clement had was his “sports scientists” defence.
Celtic should have the advantage, but games are won on the pitch, not with rest and slippers. Three years ago Ange Postecoglou lost his only trophy in Scotland when Celtic lost a Scottish Cup semifinal to Newco, three days after Newco played a Europa League game, while Celtic players rested up.
Barry Ferguson might not know how many vowels there are in the English language, but he’s not stupid. Well, not really. Unlike Clement, he will know to avoid “red zone” chat this week. We can expect lots of running around on Sunday, for a part of the game, anyway.
I could not care less for Real Madrid, but the penalty event which saw them progress to the Champions League quarterfinal last night would normally be considered an emotional trauma. However we are talking about pain for Diego Simeone here. He lacked the courtesy to shake hands with Brendan Rodgers on the two occasions they met last season.
Real keeper Thibaut Courtois got it right with his post-match comments. “I’m always fed up with that victimhood, always crying over things.
“If you’re winning 1-0 in the first minute and don’t go for the second, that’s the fault of their game.”
Simeone and Athletico would kill the sport as entertainment if they prevailed. Fortunately, they never do. The tie was there for them and they closed the game down. And for the record, there was no video evidence of a double touch.
*Update: someone sent me a video clip of the penalty I hadn’t seen before. There was a double touch, VAR was right.
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BRRB
Hows your Glyco levels
Keeping them topped up?
Rankin is a dirty wee bugger
I think that its the first time Der Hun have lost 4 times on the trot at home .
Another record?
HH
Phil
Oh dear me.
ooft, thought they were getting a penalty there. Close.
Haw haw hun f£^&
It’s sad to watch Djecko crawl about the pitch. Hang your boots up man.
Ridvan eventually booked.
Late late show by any standards
José sent off.
Penalties coming up.
3 mins added to extra time.
Time up
The worry is Huns are due to win a penalty shoot out
Well one gut is experience
Gut=guy
Whatever happens they’ll be even more knackered on Sunday than P67 predicted.
Tavpenscores
Whoda thunkit
Shit first penalty by Turks.
Lusty chorus of Billy Boys -no action will be taken tho
Hagi misses
Ha-Ha-Hagi !
Right said Fred
Then so does he
Hagi misses
For decks sake
Advantage huns
Huns through
@22.50pm
Whit times the Tunnel shut Tam
One of the worst penalty flubbs you’ll ever see !
Their charmed Euro life rumbles on.
Turns out Fenerbahce are worse at finishing penalties than they are at finishing in open play
Var got rangers through. The Turks should have had 2 pens. Soft but pens. Who knows if they’d have scored tho since their pens were woeful.
Obviously no one at Fenerbahce knows that Butland is weak to his left
We shall thrash them.
That last penalty was a rugby conversion.
Fenerbache miss 3 penalties.
Rory, ffs sake son 🤦♂️
Dear me are we really delighted at them having to play extra time ,before playing us . Not a very confident outlook from the celts , I’m more worried at them kicking the crap out of us and getting away with it . Beaton drafted in is a danger .to go with McLean. He is a sleekit bugger
Worst set of penalties I’ve seen for a long time from the Turks.
jimtim
Think o’the glycogen….
LYNOTT67 on 13TH MARCH 2025 10:39 PM
The worry is Huns are due to win a penalty shoot out
————
I’m blaming you – you jinxed it..!
;-)