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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Clashcitybhoy
I asked the same the other day but got no reply.Don’t know if injured?
HH
the spirit of arthur lee
20:35 on 18 August, 2014
4 3 3 at Ibrox tonight..
4 in the Govan 3 in the Copland and 3 in the Broomloan.
————-
That was brilliant.
Wife wondering why I was choking. Didn’t rush to help though.
bournesouprecipe
21:27 on 18 August, 2014
Does the final of the Petrofac Cup get payed offshore?
The Keepmoat Stadium
Tonev has signed up but has a slight knock; should be up & running shortly (we hope).
Delaneys Dunky
Struggling to stay awake. Commentators are struggling to make it watchable!
HH
Phil mac :
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/the-need-for-pain-at-ibrox/
having gone through legia trying to get around breaking the rules and being told to go forth, phil makes the rule evaders mess sort of understandable to the likes of me
Marty
Long to reign over them indeed.
Has it finished 8-1?
Any manager capable of that result must be up for manager of the year.
Gerrybhoy, HT
Was he crocked when we signed him…I am thinking Boerighter ?
Dire EPL stuff on SS last couple of days. “Best league in the Wurrrrld”, my erchie.
This “loan with option to buy” is an interesting change of tact from the Celtic with Jason D being the exception, I think.
clashcitybhoy
Don’t know the answer to that one. Keep them easy eh!!! :-)
Clashcitybhoy
21:47 on 18 August, 2014
Gerrybhoy, HT
Was he crocked when we signed him…I am thinking Boerighter ?
Hopefully not; was said that it was a minor niggle. Will hopefully not have choco ankles like Derk ;)
The Petrofac pot has sunk to new levels.
Irish commentator on Setanta described the Ibrox crowd tonight as “sizeable.”
Wakaso appears to have the lifestyle that ticks the boxes for Ronny.
According to wiki he does salad before every game
BSR
To clarify for you…
The Petrofac final will be played off shore and then the prize money will be paid off shore.
DD
Aye that was the score mate, I honestly thought I was in a parallel universe and they had just beaten one of Europe’s elite, TBH it’s this kinda of sycophantic MSM nonsense that helped put them where they are.
Night all – golf in the morning – weather permitting in Saarland : ))
Geordie Munro
A pre match salad and 3 pints of Guinness …
Ronny Says CSC
macjay1 for neil lennon
21:50 on 18 August, 2014
Irish commentator on Setanta described the Ibrox crowd tonight as “sizeable.”
To be fair there was a lot of fat bar stewards
From the Uof website – sometimes you forget what mess they’re in – pledge to pay d=for a season ticket – wtf does that mean ?
I’m sure a cqner pledged £1888 to thems before !!!!!
‘Non-Season Ticket Holders
If you are NOT a current season ticket holder you can pledge to pay for a 2014 – 2015 season ticket. – See more at: http://www.ibrox1972.co.uk/commit-funds/#sthash.WCMQ6wJv.dpuf‘.
MacJay
In comparison to Irish League crowds, it probably was sizeable?
From what I’m reading Derk didnae as much admit he dived but just accepted the ban…..unlike Legia.
Prestonpans
After signing all those huddies last season a change of tack was needed
I only hope it’s not a ploy to avoid spending money
What with Mike Ashley putting in £4 million into sevco, I thought that a owner of another club couldn’t put money or buy shares into another club, and I asked last night if its true that celtic wont have Nike as our shirt sponser next season?.
Wee Barry Guardiola doing well as a manager then eh?
Nakasammi
The Scottish msm’s disgraceful pro Legia stance is yet another gratuitous two fingered salute in the direction of Celtic FC. We’ve had ‘thugs and thieves’, Fergus and Saddam and the demonisation of Neil Lennon, and this one joins the list. What makes this actually worse is the fact that every media outlet in this country felt the need to get behind a rule breaking Polish club against Scotland’s only remaining club in Europe. Will these same people be celebrating a £1 million payout to SPL clubs if we get through. Probably not because the club who need it most wouldn’t see a penny of it.
SKY, CLYDE, BBC, STV, RECORD, SUN, HERALD, hang your heads in shame. And please, somebody at Parkhead come out and speak up for the club and it’s supporters. You have a duty to do so.
….PFayr supports WeeOscar
21:55 on
18 August, 2014
Totally agree!
jackie mac
21:54 on
18 August, 2014
That’s £350 pledged,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
We interrupt this programme for a party political broadcast.not been one for a while.
Warm glow moment no. 406
Semifinal of Scottish,centenary year
2 mins to go:1.0down
2mins later basking in warm Hampden heat
Were through the wee guns didn’t know what had hit them
It don’t get much better than that
Believe the correct and full name of the cup is the petrofac training cup?
Confuses the hell out of the zombies when you call it the potty training cup.
Then wait for it as the penny arcade drops…….
Captain Beefheart 20:54 on 18 August, 2014
“Were it not for CQN, I wouldn’t even know what the Petrofac cup was.”
Lighten up. People are having a laugh at the lunking Zombies.
Some of them even post on here.
Marty
The SMSM sychophants are repeating history with Sevco, like they did with Rangers. I like that. Same outcome soon-liquidation.
Timbhoy
The mob who own Watford own 2 other teams.
Mad vlad had a couple too. I don’t think you can own 2 in the same country though.
Wee huns
The system is all wrong when one can be banned for two games for an offence for which one would only receive a yellow card for during the course of the game
The player is being punished for the referee bring stupid enough to be conned
Typical SFA/ SPL incompetence
Weet weet weet
She plays the headlamps in Mad Men.
I mean Head Secretary.
Marrakesh Express 21:57 on 18 August, 2014
After the initial confusion regarding Celtic’s 3-0 victory on paper, I have enjoyed the pain of the msm.
There is no point in Celtic complaining. We live in a country where free speech is allowed. The msm can state what they like, so long as it is not libelous.
Think of how much they are hurting and just enjoy it.
HH
……that’s me pledged £1967 furra berrz………
plenty mair where that came fae tae………