Celtic will play Shakhtyor Karaganda from Kazakhstan in the Champions League play-off round. Shakhtyor are 22 games into their league season but are 12 points off the pace, so are unlikely to add to their two Kazak titles.
They lost 3-2 away to Skënderbeu Korçë of Albania after a 3-0 home win to reach this stage but eliminated Bate Borisov in the earlier round.
Everyone at Celtic will be delighted to know that St Patrick’s Athletic, from Ireland, eliminated Shakhtyor from the 2011-12 Europa League, overturning a 2-1 deficit to win the home game 2-0.
There is 16 hours of flight time between Celtic and Shakhtyor, not counting refuelling, so the journey will be for the hardy, but as a ticket to Champions League riches, they don’t come much better.
One to keep an eye on, five years ago Shakhtyor were briefly disqualified from league football for match fixing……..
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starry plough,
There are rules. But they are only applied selectively …
Playing against THG?
FF desperation to appear relevant:
“FC Shakhter Karagandy v Celtc CL draw – Rangers related
as the title says
that is the draw they and has a bearing on when we play Berwick in the Ramsdens Cup.”
Sadie
19:45 Kazakhstan time is 14:45 CP time
Referee for the away leg will be very important; preferably one who is immune to backhanders and finding his hotel room well stocked with the local totty.
[Apologies in advance to anyone offended by this wicked stereotyping]
starry plough
11:25
they’re not walking to Santiago
—
What kind of eejit would do that? In the football season too.
Tyrannosaurus Tim@Itsatimthing1m
if you want to get there in under a day it’s an eye-watering £2840 according to Skyscanner
Celtic at Aberdeen 12:30 ko sat 17/8
Next stop Kazakhstan
Bring an extra toothbrush ….
In the last round they put out the Albanian champions 5-3 agg , won home game 3-0 then were 3-0 down in away leg in first 30 mins before scoring twice , for 3-2 defeat. winning goal came when Albanians were down to 10 men.
Previous round 2-0 against BATE both games 1-0
In first leg BATE dominated possession, they were unable to break down Viktor Kumykov’s tactically adept troops who afforded them no space throughout a tight encounter in Borisov.
2nd leg BATE missed penalty and lost late goal chasing goal which would take tie to ET.
We can beat these guys if we play like we can , hopefully have the new dutch boys fit and I would like Balde to have a few games prior to game to see if we can be target man away from home.
Wiki also says they have a certain Sasa Papac playing for them!
DBBIA @ 11:28
I found myself having similar thoughts, except I thought of Rolex watches or a horse’s head on the bed …
FF
Squire, not saying they are mugs. Great draw though. Not worried about Bate result. Get a striker. Get the Dutch bhoys fit. Get CM in defence. Simple!
This should be fun. Borat masks at the ready!! :-)
I LIKKKKKEEEEEEE!!!!
Hail Hail everyone!
Knoxy
Celtic_First
I thought you might be lurking, it’s a wee dream of mine to make that walk, it would be great to hear of your trip sometime, a friend of mine here walked it and wrote a book about it, only in German I’m afraid..
SOAL – none of your helicopters fly there?
Would we have to get to Norwich Airport first?
Whats the big deal?………take our own food and give the team business class beds.
Job done and home again………..
4-5-1 over there……..0-0 good enough then spank them at CP
I suspect we might have the smallest travelling support in our history for this one.
And the players are gonna feel shattered during the first leg and in the first game when they get back.
Not a kind draw for us in that regard,but we should have enough to beat them.
I hope we’ve not loaned anyone to them…
HH
As far as draws to get into the champions league go…..it’s a belter!
Wouldn’t be worrying about travel. What’s an extra few hours on a flight? The bhoys will hardly be travelling in RyanAir economy will they.
And when you see a few of the other playoffs…
PSV v Milan
Lyon v Sociadad
Arsenal v Fenerbahce
Or we could’ve drawn Austria Vienna or Legia Warsaw.
DELIGHTED we won’t be playing any of them!!
I’m sure it won’t be easy, but jeezo I’ve never heard of this mob.
Cue reply’s asking if I had heard of Artmedia…
Hail hail!!
If we had the same squad that ended the season this would be a skoosh. Beware the backlash Mr Lawwell if things don’t go well. Alternatively get the finger out and show some signs of intent.
HH
Do we play a league game before the first leg? I will be raging if we only have that friendly plus a worthless international week.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
I think there were only 1 or 2 that went to Batumi. One guy hitched it!
Celtic fans in that area of the world will be there. Cheap flight for Asian or Middle East based Bhoys!
LB
Roy croppie
Brilliant :-))
Re the Shakhter wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Shakhter_Karagandy): a look at the recent history of that page shows that it’s been changed about 40 times in the last hours or so.
Some folk are having a laugh …
FF
DBBIA
Your Sharp today
The problem with this draw apart from the journey is PL might be tempted to go with the squad we have at present.
Don’t even think about peter.
KTF
Great draw for us.Khazakstan,since when were they a force in European football.Think Bate Borisov have been stripped of their best players.Looking at the other non champions draw.Phew,glad we were not in there.
Dontbrattbackinanger,not at all,but have you seen the “Local tottie”in Khazakstan.Borats sister was only number two prostitute.
We play Aberdeen on Saturday lunch time before the 1st leg
If we play tie on the Wednesday that would be handy as it would give additional time to recover etc.
We have Aberdeen away, then the away leg. Inverness at home between the two ties.
16 hours of flight time?!
It took me less than that to get here (chile) – suddenly I don’t feel so far away.
Hi Paul67,
“five years ago Shakhytor were briefly disqualified from league football for match fixing….”
Well with all due respect Paul, if they didn’t manage to get the disqualification commuted to a fine, that they paid out of monies that should have been paid for social taxes, it pretty much puts them in the amateur arena.
We’ve had plenty of practice from domestic opposition.
Hail! Hail!
It’s important that Celtic take a chef and a hamper of their own food.
As everyone knows, folk to the east of the Urals eat nothing but cabbage, yak dung and pot noodles.
now I am worried Wiki as a cetain Vladimir Putin as their no.10 , Browny will be in trouble if he messes him about !!
Singing Detective,
Now is your chance to show your handsome looks to those Kazak women! You can do it. HH.
It’s closer to Alaska than it is to here, lol
as long as the referee and his assistants aren’t…Scottish…we should be alright :)
HH
We’re away to the Sheep before we have to pack up our yurts and head East.
I’d play a reserve team against Inverness as the prize is so great and the league will be won anyway.