Maribor are currently playing monopoly with the Slovenian league, having won four titles in a row, and have a very settled, experienced, team.
The season before they eliminated Rangers into oblivion in 2011 they defeated Hibernian home and away, who had Anthony Stokes in their side. It’s worth noting that Edinburgh police arrested 30 Maribor fans following a riot in the city after that tie; this lot have an unfortunate reputation for trouble.
They lost away on Saturday, a defeat which was largely a consequence of their defence having a nightmare, however, among others, they rested key central defender, Marko Suler, who Celtic came close to signing four years ago. They were also reduced to 10 men 30 minutes into the game. It’s unlikely they will be so poor at the back against Celtic.
Dare Vrsoc is their creative fulcrum. He also likes to shoot from distance, with some justification. Whoever in the Celtic team is tasked with winning a personal battle with him will have a great deal of responsibility.
If Celtic leave space at the back Mitja Viler will be the player most likely to exploit. He is lightning fast and will have noticed how Celtic lost goals to pace against Legia. The early scare Gary Mackay-Steven gave us on Saturday further emphasises this vulnerability.
Brazilian-Slovenian striker Marcos Tavares, 30, is Maribor’s royalty. He has scored more goals than anyone in the club’s history, but he is a player who has found his level. He has been over the European football course before so will know how to unsettle defenders.
Macedonian international winger, Agim Ibraimi, scored the goals in the last round which got Maribor this far. He had a couple of unsuccessful seasons in Seria A before returning to Maribor. Good player with tendencies to lunacy.
The fans boo boy is goalkeeper, Jasmin Handanovic, who remains in place despite a disastrous last season. Slovenian clubs throw cross balls into the box to put pressure on him as often as possible. Some early attention might turn the atmosphere inside the stadium on Wednesday.
They score a lot of goals from headers: five of the 12 this season, before the o.g. they benefited from on Saturday.
Our man Blaz in Slovenia tells me they are better than they were when they brought the end of days to Rangers in 2011. Last season’s Europa League campaign, when they progressed from a group containing Russian, English and Belgian opposition, before giving eventual winners, Sevilla a fright, gives an indication of what we can expect.
After those performances last season they knew this could be their Champions League year. Drawing Celtic has put them in a state approaching over-confidence. A shift like we delivered on Saturday will come as a shock.
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SSN breaking news
Jim White calls in sick……
SSN breaking news
RWE @ 14.50
“January 2023 I went with family to a game at CP, Walfrid, the whole show. When we got to our seats the Juventus spies (3 of them) had just………..
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Could you let me know the HT/FT – and the first goalscorer of that one so I can hit the bookies……If I’m still here that is :-)
sipsini
Howzitgaun?
Mailed you a few days ago, but not sure if you got it.
Hope yer well.
HH!!
According to a certain Tictaewin earlier ” they ” …. as in us Celtic FC ; deserve at least a fine for ” their ” part in the Legia debacle ……….WTF …….??????
Hrvatski jim
he sat on a few appeals I represented at was always very fair minded..
btw
if thats a wee villa…… 8-)
NEWS | Derk Boerrigter (@celticfc) accepts two-match suspension http://t.co/0ZQDKXyMfu
I would point out that my previous rather tastless post was for the benefit of any of THEM who might be lurking.
Sipsini
Like yourself I had a niggling doubt today about the CAS outcome. Hard luck on Legia. History now.
Bring on the Maribor!
The UFH has a no nonsense and professional haircut as well as an appropriate suit.
He doesn’t look like a Wurzel Gumidge oaf.
Hence a smooth ship for Celtic and a rocky sail to Boratland for Dariuz et al.
When all’s said and done we cannot deny that we are incredibly fortunate to be back in the CL mix.
Let’s not waste the chance that’s fallen out of the sky into our laps.
Good result again!
Fat Sally’s pie-eaters on Alba tonight.
Looking forward to hearing The Sash in the Gaelic
HH
Delighted & relieved that the uncertainty is over and we can concentrate on Football. I feel very sorry for the very decent Mr.Z. I really hope he comes back on, even if he is pissed off, still come on and at least talk about it. The reality is there is not a Club in Europe would have looked a gift horse of a potential 20million in the mouth, not one. So why would Celtic be any different. Legia made the error, UEFA applied their rules and there is no more to be said.
Sick of the Legia moaning about being done for breaking the rules and now they want compensation, bloody idiots.
Send them a couple of tickets for next Tuesday’s game and throw in a signed champions league baw.
No sympathy for Legia.
A bunch of selfish, incompetent, greetin’ face ars*holes.
And the Polish tossers demanding Celtic are hounded out of Europe.
Sleep well tonight.
NOW BEAT MARIBOR CELTIC and GIRUT and Tiny Tim.
Rock Tree Bhoy
17:20 on
18 August, 2014
Quite incredible, 20 minutes in from the 5 o’clock headlines and SS News have yet to mention the CAS decision, although it is on the ticker tape that runs along the bottom of the screen, now if we’d been chucked out they would have talked about nothing else – FACT.
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Fella/Dude/Mate –
It’s just been on SSN and guess what? Yep – they spent 5 minutes asking what else Legia could possibly do, how disappointed would they be, is this really the end for them?
Interview with their owner/chairman/mouthpiece – he’s not interested in the money. Oh no – he’s on a crusade to make sure this can’t happen again. Hope he gets these evil rules changed.
Maybe they could call it “Bereszynski’s Law” ?
BTW they’ve asked CAS to force UEFA to give them compo money. SSN didn’t mention that bit…
TLWIO
I completely agree
However we broke no rules and engaged in no skulduggery to do so
Being kind to them, Legia made a haw maws of it. At worst they sought to gain an advantage by having a suspended player available for selection.
We did nothing wrong.
Let’s take advantage of our good fortune.
Legia Warsaw done their damn best to blacken our name and drag us into a very public slanging match, no way do I feel sorry for them.
Boerrigter accepts two-match suspension…………Monday, 18 August 2014…………
Contest it Celtic FFS……….
WTF…….Ah need a drink!
TBM
I really hope to hear a statement from Celtic now that this has been resolved. The media coverage in Scotland has been nothing but a platform for the Legia chairperson to try to smear Celtic.
sky sevco news really surpassed themselves there with that report.
The only bit of it they got right was that we are playing Maribor.
They really are lazy with their reporting. We went through on away goals, the player was suspended not ineligible going by uefa rules, not one question asked why Legia did what they did, why have they not admitted to their mistake and why an unambiguous rule is wrong.
The truth isn’t a good enough story for them.
Looks like Derk is admitting he dived. Not too happy about that.
NatKnow – yeah poor Jim Whyte clutching at straws, you gotta feel sorry for him…….not!
Arguably, there is less pressure on us on Wednesday than there was in the previous round.
This is obviously due to being assured of European football till, at least Christmas.
I don’t think that any late signing, should we make one, will be considered for the first leg.
We made that mistake in the last round…although Legia made a bigger one!
I can’t believe we accepted Bo’s two game ban, FFS, it’s only a yellow for diving in a game.
That also gives us even less chance of getting pens
Bad decision Celtic.
HH
Celtic News Now @CelticNewsNow 3m
Stoke City accept £2m bid from Norwich City for striker Cameron Jerome
Hello All
Wonder if you can Help
A friend of mine has got some really bad news in the past hour and has not been contactable
If any of you see someone answering to the name of Richard Wilson
Please contact BBC Scotland at the Quay
Many thnx in advance for any help
Corkcelt
The only person who knows if Derk dived is Derk.
I admire his honesty, if not his dive.
embramike
Stoke City accept £2m bid from Norwich City for striker Cameron Jerome
More good news
Love
I also meant to say, I hope Celtic approach sky sevco news and ask them why they have continually not reported the truth? Why has so much airtime been given to the guilty party in all this, who if asked the questions about why all the finger pointing, media house style, apart from in his own direction.
Totally scunnered..
Cameron Jerome joining Norwich?
Thank feck!
HH!!
Bazza
Will have a look up the Erskine Bridge now.
Billy Connolly is in Newark immigration just now talking about Celtic with Maggie McGill.
Delaneys Dunky
17:41 on
18 August, 2014
Corkcelt
The only person who knows if Derk dived is Derk.
I admire his honesty, if not his dive.
—————————————-
I’m wondering if accepting the offer of a 2 match ban is also an admission of guilt – or not?
Can’t believe we have accepted the Derk suspension, or are we moving him closer to the door by rubbishing his credibility?
My predictions don’t often come true but…
Told you LW had no chance!
Elsewhere…
No surprise to see SSN reporting style
Much surprise re Derk
Wonder what statements, if any, CFC will make on these events?
PS…
C Jerome…..phew!
hrvatski jim
16:23 on 18 August, 2014
Pog
Was the woman who gave you the figs called Livia?
———————————————————————-
Sorry popped out for a swim. Is there a joke in there :-)?
corkcelt
17:28 on 18 August, 2014
Delighted & relieved that the uncertainty is over and we can concentrate on Football. I feel very sorry for the very decent Mr.Z. I really hope he comes back on, even if he is pissed off, still come on and at least talk about it. The reality is there is not a Club in Europe would have looked a gift horse of a potential 20million in the mouth, not one. So why would Celtic be any different. Legia made the error, UEFA applied their rules and there is no more to be said.
Well said indeed. Rules applied without fear or favour (SFA take note; Aye that’l be right)
and best wishes to Mr. Z, under what are for him, difficult circumstances. Hope he is back on CQN soon.