Celtic will play Swedish champions Helsingborg IF in the Champions League play-off round later this month. Helsingborg eliminated Polish champions Slask Wroclaw in the last round, winning 0-3 in the first leg in Poland, but our man in Poland assures me Slask were one of the weakest Polish champions in recent season and have lost several players over the close season. Helsingborg also eliminated The New Saints (you thought you knew British football) from Wales in the second qualification round.
Although like all sensible Northern European leagues, the Swedes are midseason, this is a straightforward proposition for Celtic, who will be slight favourites to qualify for the Champions League group stage.
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hail hail
2nd
just In
a first place podium at last!
podium?
Great draw
There should be no doom and gloom about this draw.
If we play to our strengths we will qualify.
I fully expect us to score over there and then finish the job at home
Easy peasy then
Busy few days, things got in the way. Too late for a match report?
HJK Helsinki 0-2 Celtic
Despite a period of sustained pressure from the home team in the second half Celtic scored twice through Ledley and Samaras to progress to the Champions League play-off round.
Done.
Price the second leg sensibly and CP will be sold out.
Paul67
Best draw possible and I think they will look at our result against HJK and think the Europa League is not so bad…
Paul67 yup slight favourites but we need to reinforce striking options
HH
JuveBhoy on 10 August, 2012 at 11:39 said:
a first place podium at last!
Given recent events,is this the first case of CQN Podium Fixing ?:}
ohits on 10 August, 2012 at 11:38 said:
Bhoys
Did they say the dates would be announced later today?
Just checked the best travel options , flying to Copenhagen and then its only 1 hours drive .
HH
best line of the day ” we can both sing we love Henrik More”
How much will the beeb pay us for radio commentary?
The usual over-confidence on CQN.
Sami was right when he said our chances would be 50-50.
Alfreð Finnbogason
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfre%C3%B0_Finnbogason
10-20 quid a ticket (depending on where it is in the ground, age etc) and Celtic will have 58,000 nae bother.
Quite a few Swedes will make the journey I’d imagine.
I’m excited already.
ScotPatsFan on 10 August, 2012 at 10:57 said:
KJam
I agree with your post about their history and UEFA.
I wouldn’t be against them applying to UEFA for the old club’s coefficient because the SFA said we’re the same team!
=============
….. and then argue the opposite when their previous misconduct comes back to haunt them.
Celtic have submitted plans to demolish the listed primary school outside their stadium and replace it with a superstore, museum, theatre, café and ticket offices, as part of plans to regenerate thae area for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Celtic Park will host the opening ceremony of the Games, which will be attended by the Queen, and watched by an estimated one billion people worldwide. The 2014 organisers are spending £14 million on the opening and closing ceremonies.
The derelict London Road Primary School, at the centre of the plans, is an Edwardian B-listed building, and Glasgow’s only remaining B-listed school, making it likely that there will be objections to the plans from bodies including Historic Scotland.
The proposal, made to Glasgow City Council, also includes plans to build a landscaped avenue running from Dalmarnock railway station, which would also be revamped, to Celtic Park, passing key 2014 venues.
A 2009 council report raised concerns about the area immediately surrounding the stadium, saying it “does not provide an attractive setting” and “tyhe current situation is not acceptable with regard to the council’s ambitions to host a world-class event for the 2014 games.”
Local SNP councillor Alison Thewliss said the school’s demolition would “make a huge difference to the overall area and experience of visiting Celtic Park”, adding: “It would be nice to retain the school but we have several derelict schools.
“If it can’t be used in its existing structure I’d rather the land was used for something positive.”
You know He’ll be there (and over here), but…
…which team will He support?
79caps on 10 August, 2012 at 11:42 said:
The usual over-confidence on CQN.
Sami was right when he said our chances would be 50-50.
The players will think they have a great chance. They will downplay it though.
Nobody is over confident but we should be better than them
Come on the Hoops.
I would be grateful if Tictactic, or any of his readers, can post a link to any analysis he has done of Wednesday night’s match.
I cannot recall seeing Celtic press so high up the field so well in any game at any level as in the first half, especially, in Helsinki. Clearly a deliberate ploy and one that should have led directly to goals on at least two occasions. Great stuff. I would like to understand better what happened, hence my request to Tictactic.
I can see the msm headlines if we don’t win.
The swedes – turnips thingy.
However, I am completely confident we will go through.
We just need to stay focused and clear of injury.
Paul67 I don’t think its a big IF , I totally expect a tough two games but we will qualify for the big table. We buy the open sandwiches.
Dates announced about 12.15 CP Time.
Kjartan Finnbogason was the one on our books I think.
Decent draw, lets not get complacent, will be tougher than Helsinki.
Good to be at home second leg. Score draw over there and finish them off at Paradise.
HH
@ ScotPatsFan @ iki
Surely there is no way that UEFA will entertain them applying for oldco´s coefficient.
The mighty champions of Scotland lost to the champions of Sweden last season which precipitated the ex-Scottish side’s demise and ultimate liquidation.
See what becomes of teams who do not beat Swedish opposition?? We have been warned.
Where are Whittaker and Bougherra these days?
Perfect draw, short flight airport just down the road,good climate,great for the fans.
Helsingborg will be difficult opponents like most Allsvenska teams will be set up to suit their strenghs.
We need a striker.
KTF
Without being disrespectful to our swedish opponents, this is a tie we are more than capable of winning. Sure, it wont be easy, it never is but many of us will feel we have dodged a bullet. Playing the second leg at home will hopefully be a huge bonus and no doubt paradise will be packed to the rafters.
Now would be a great time to reinforce our troops, that new centre half and centre forward we all want would be very welcome additions at this stage. It would serve to galvanize the squad and the fans and could lead us to the holy grail.
HH,
Bringitoncsc
If Celtic beat Helsingborg, we can move up from Pot 4 to Pot 3 if any THREE of the following seven teams fail to progress from the playoff stage:
FC Basel 1893 (SUI)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
SC Braga (POR)
FC Spartak Moskva (RUS)
Panathinaikos FC (GRE)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
FC København (DEN)
The chance is slim but the chance is still there and will make for some hopeful scoreboard watching.
Which three do you think have the best chance of being knocked out?
ASonOfDan, good point.
saltires en sevilla, would be nice.
NZ Tauranga, let’s hope.
KJam, by the time Newco is eligible for Europe Rangers Uefa coefficient will be zero.
Hartson’s comb- Basel almost didn’t make it, their keeper saved an injury time penalty v Molde which if scored would have knocked them out.
They must be vulnerable v Cluj.
ASonOfDan on 10 August, 2012 at 11:44 said:
Celtic have submitted plans to demolish the listed primary school outside their stadium and replace it with a superstore, museum, theatre, café and ticket offices, as part of plans to regenerate thae area for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
All plans and Architects impressions can be found here;
Celtic’s New Museum & Superstore
Hartsons comb if any of these teams squeeze through I would be keen on being in pot 4 in thier group.
Keevins, You Silly Old Fool….
http://harryhood67.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/hugh-keevins-you-silly-old-fool/