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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Morning Celts, got drookit cycling into work this morning, suns out now so drying oot.
Quiet on here, where’s aw the poli_tic_yins
:>)
‘Rangers (sic) sweep aside clyde in petrofac cup with devastating result at ibrox.’
From the Scotsman’s front page.
The unintended irony of the hyperbole is delish!
Never in the field of football history has so much excitement been generated about such gash by so many.
HH jamesgang
ziggydoc1
In Melbourne try
The Celtic Club
316-320 Queen Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000
Phone: 03 9670 6472
or
Pint on Punt
Address: 42 Punt Road Windsor
Melbourne Victoria 318 Phone: (03) 9510 3310
In Sydney
Cheers Bar
561 George St, Sydney NSW
(02) 9261 8313
HH
Enjoying the wildlife stuff. Good thing about this blog is the way it wanders into practically any subject and gets an interesting discussion going. For a while anyway, then its back to Fitba.
Billy dodds, craig paterson, richard wilson, the ferguson boys, Al Lamont , kenny mcintyre, chic young, sandy clark, rob mclean, etc all feeling a bit rough this morning after Shortbreads after show party to celebrate the greatest performance ever seen in the history of scottish football. Bazza Ferguson was the guest of honour for his adventurous style and having a go with his 1-1-8 formation thus contributing to the fabulous spectacle on show.
Anyone have a spare ticket for the Inverness game? Never get any in the ballot.
Just passing through and, this caught my eye….
_______________________________________
From last night…..
_______________
Marrakesh Express
21:57 on 18 August, 2014
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.
_____________________
I know, I know, I know…..but, thing is, if you want, and we all do, a Celtic hierarchy who’ll fight the ‘supporters’ corner or, stand their ground. Ye see, the trick is, well its not so much a trick, more an application of common logic. If you work – you get paid. Right?
Or, as far as I’m led to believe thats how it works on in any other line of work, you don’t get paid till you do the work. Now, for the above – common logic – to be applied to the Celtic hierarchy, it would take the Celtic ‘supporters’ who give the hierarchy their money, to call the shots. You know like ‘customers’ do. Do you follow so far?
Ok, I’ll get to the point….Celtic ‘supporters’ tell the hierarchy – “Get the SMSM banned from Celtic Park – no exceptions – then, we’ll pay you.”
It’s a s simple as that!
To get somebody to do something – you have to make them do it.
The ‘only’ way that the Celtic hierarchy will ‘ever’ do what is, supposed to be stated on the tin is, if their made to do it!
Until the above is factored-in…..apathy will be ‘your’ rule. imho
Going away now…canny be bothered…lifes too short…
BBC website cannot contain itself over last night’s magnificent victory.
It actually records score twice.
Have I stumbled into Animal Farm?
Are these animals independently governered or are they ruled?
MWD says AYE
Quonno.
The bbc website regularly has Richard Wilson writing the Sevco stories.
His biased reporting made me stop buying a The Herald.
BT
it’ll surprise us more if you reported that you were saying good morning from a Thomas that was on time for once!
MWD says AYE
What’s Gaelic for “where was the crowd”?
Lymmbhoy,
Thanks for the advice.
I’ve been in the cheers bar a few years ago and will also check out the Melbourne bars.
I might also see if there’s anywhere in Melbourne hotel complex (at the casino) to see if the channel’s available.
The ole urban fox. Now significantly more common than Petrofac loving Sevconians.
deekbhoy
06:57 on
19 August, 2014
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox but saying no to CQN racists
12:31 on
18 August
Sorry do not agree with you argument.
Legia made the mistake and fell foul of the rules. The consequence of that error would be the same for every team. This is not a misguided fan throwing a bottle on or a fan running on to the park that the home team may be responsible for, may try to prevent but cannot stop it happening.
I have seen Celtic get the wrong end of the stick to have much sympathy with anyone.
However, as I asked a couple of days ago.
Does anyone honestly believe that if Barca, Real, Man U or Chelsea had made the same error, the would have been flung out of CL,
Not on you nelly. EUFA would have found a way to slap them on the wrist withh a hefty or not so hefty fine.
Morning all.
Still no sign of an out and striker?
You know, one who actually knows where the goal is. No projects please. We have enough of those already.
HH!!
8-1 eh?
A goal for every spectator, and in keeping with the animal friendly theme on here, an away goal for the dug tae.
Tallybhoy
That’s what I popped on to see.
Mubarek looks good but another left footer I see too. The end of Derk.
KevJungle,who misses, Murdo Macleod’s – ball-winning,hun-skelping,title-winning,net-bursting,Jungle-party-inducing-displays,in the hoops
If the SMSM are banned from Paradise will you return?
LB
That should have been …’ an out and out striker.’
There must be one out there somewhere!
HH!!
Tallybhoy
Celtic don’t need a new striker because every time Stokes is having a stinker and I say “you are pyooooor crap, Stokes” he pops up and scores a goal or gets an assist. If I just continue doing that every match this season we’ll be fine. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.
I’m willing to make that sacrifice for you all!
Tallybhoy,
No sign. The perverse gambling continues. We have to rely on the unprofessional AS.
Failure is unthinkable against the moderate Slovenians.
David,
Your strategy doesn’t work for Europe.
Captain Beefheart
Ok, fair enough…but then again Stokes hasn’t played many European matches I’ve seen!
Well, I’m just going to continue to call Stokes crap anyway, if that’s alright with everyone.
Captain Beefheart
09:33 on
19 August, 2014
Tallybhoy,
No sign. The perverse gambling continues. We have to rely on the unprofessional AS.
Failure is unthinkable against the moderate Slovenians.
It is not a gamble so long as season tickets are selling.
The only place PL is going to look for proven striker is on a picket line.
I see that corksucker Jackson still saying they played a player who was INILEGEBLE in today’s DR , and here’s me thinking the said player was suspended, his journalistic gymnastics are off the radar.
Celtic have a golden chance to develop in a sporting context and in a financial context. Success breeds success.
Instead we remain ultra conservative and stifle growth opportunities.
KevJungle,who misses, Murdo Macleod’s – ball-winning,hun-skelping,title-winning,net-bursting,Jungle-party-inducing-displays,in the hoops
09:03
Good morning, smiler.
Do you think Murdo would be up for giving 10-15 minutes on the pitch at the MaestRio charity game at Celtic Park next month?
He’d receive a warm welcome from Celts who remember his contributions whilst wearing the hoops.
BT (and for MWD’s benefit),
you need to get yourself to Tokyo mate. Just to enjoy trains running on time.
Dont expect much space to be able to type your post on your phone though….esp with your frame mate ;-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Talking about japan.
How Japanese drivers say thank you.
http://wimp.com/japanesedrivers/
Davidopoulos
09:32
I have a great knack for doing that too..
B-)
davidopoulos
09:37 on 19 August, 2014
Unless he buys into the RD regime and its demands, you will have every opportunity and every right to do so
Carry on ……
Tens of millions made.
Pathetic investment.
Now we have to worry about playing feckin Maribor.
Chrisvancoupon,
agree Richard Wilson was the Heralds resident ibrox journo.
He is now plying his trade with the BBC where his pro Legia rantings were hysterical.
Surprised the BBC have taken someone with the journalistic skills of David Leggat…..then again when you see the calibre of the others , he will fit in perfectly.
Ps. Andrew Dallas continues his fastrack under SFA by refereeing Sevco in the world record score for the former fish supper cup
squire danaher
09:44 on 19 August, 2014
————————————————-
Here, here!
Sadly, I think Stokes and a few others with the “Scottish” footballer mentality will struggle to change their ways. However, I’ll be delighted to be proved wrong!
Agree about Stokes. Too workshy & still takes the wrong option. Anyone else notice he wasn’t caught offside on Saturday for the first time in a Celtic jersey? RD must be doing something right for that to happen.
At one stage last season Celtic had something like 12 young players out on loan, with varying degrees of success.
Callum McGregor was the most obvious success, which pleased me greatly as I have always rated the bhoy. The Notts County fans loved him and even made up a song about him to the tune of the Proclaimers….”500 Miles”.
We need more Callum McGregors to go out on loan and to return ready to stake a claim for a first team berth.
HH!!
Interesting…!!!!
https://twitter.com/celticnewsnow/status/501626575641915392