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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iPaddy McCourt
13:11 on
18 August, 2014
That’s assuming Lustig is fit
====
I am assuming you are taking the p1ss, we’d be better off playing with 10 men than having Kayal in the team.
Richie #TeamOscarForever
13:11 on 18 August, 2014
‘There is no constitution”
#####
Words fail me.
Swiss media are saying that FC Zurich midfielder Remo Freuler is on his way to Glasgow for a medical.
iPaddy
I’d be sorely tempted to stick Mulgrew at left back given they will have been studying Izzy’s vulnerabilities all week ion that position and they do seem a bit route one.
Couldn’t argue with the rest of the team.
EL
If only #jimgoodwin
!!Bada Bing!!
13:14 on 18 August, 2014
‘Swiss media are saying that FC Zurich midfielder Remo Freuler is on his way to Glasgow for a medical.’
###
Probably just after the free prescriptions.
ger57
13:04 on 18 August, 2014
I too was unaware of any “rule”. Could anyone shed any further light on this?
………………Gordon………………..
Lustig…Van Dijk…Denayer…Izaguirre
Efe bhoy ..McGregor..Johansen..Biton…
Commons
Stokes
timmy7 – if you get the chance, visit the amazing hillside town of San Gimignano, which is NW of Sienna. It has incredible medieval towers and the views over the local countryside are fantastic.
T4
Lol
One day a man went into a restaurant and ordered a bowl of soup. The waitress brought his order out to him on a tray with her middle finger immersed in the middle of his soup bowl.
“What the hell’s the idea of putting your finger in my soup bowl?” the man bellowed at the waitress.
“My doctor said the best thing for my rheumatism was to keep my finger pressed in a warm damp place,” the waitress informed him.
“Oh yeah,” the man shouted, “then why don’t you take that finger of yours and shove it up your fat ass?”
“I’m sorry sir the waitress replied, but I already tried that before I brought your soup out.”
weeminger, yogly,
Had a look at the blog you both pointed me to.
To be clear, I don’t agree with the English privatisation agenda. I simply don’t believe that it would lead to privatisation in Scotland. Indeed the blog actually makes the point that the NHS in Scotland is not in the same position as in England right now because of the protection of devolution.
ernie lynch
13:11 on
18 August, 2014
If she was, would it make any of the factual stuff (and I’m aware that a lot of her comments are her interpretation), less factual?
3,000 Ryder Cup tickets returned by fatcat companies,going on sale this morning
Afternoon bhoys. It has been a long time since I last posted (not that I was ever a frequent poster) but have a been a daily lurker for many years. That probably sets me back to being welcomed as a hun again…
Anyway, my nerves have started to build up in anticipation of Wednesday, although after Saturday I am excited at the same time.
I hope that Ronny doesn’t go too gung-ho in formation and tactics but I am pretty encouraged by the Maribor being the perceived favourites – I always think back to games like Ajax and Spartak Moscow (Mk I) and feel quietly confident about our prospects when playing as the underdog. I think we definitely have it in us to win over the two legs. Just hope that some of the alarming gaps in defence are plugged on Wed night!
Hail hail.
Bada Bing
He’s been travelling since early morning according to the twitteratti. Must be Ryanair and they’ve dropped him off at Prestwick :)
timmy7
There is a lot more to see in Florence and Siena! Are you driving?
Traditionalist88
I’ve been one of Kayal’s critics but I think he’d be ok in a central three in midfield. He looked very, very good on Saturday when he came on. Best I’ve seen from him in a long while.
I make no apologies for this defensive line up for Wednesday…
Gordon
Lustig Denayer VVD Mulgrew
Matthews Biton Henderson Johansen Izzy
Griffiths
Sneak a wee 1-1.
T4
Gregory Ioannidis@LawTop20 · 2h
CAS will issue a decision on the Legia v UEFA matter at around 17:00 UK time. Remember the parties only filed written submissions.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
13:17 on
18 August, 2014
Yes, right now it’s not.
Now I’m as aware as the next man that it may not be any safer in an independent Scotland. However, I definitely think it’s at risk in the medium term in a United Kingdom. I happen to think it’s too big a risk.
Robbie Keane spotted at Ross Hall.
Eidur Gudjohnssen also has medical there at 7pm.
Finally, the big mate’s sister in law has a pal who works for the cleaners at Old Trafford and apparently Darren Fletcher is on his way to Parkhead.
⌗transferwindowexclusives
Spielt Remo Freuler schon bald im Celtic Park vor einer der stimmungsvollsten Fan-Kulisse der Welt? Über 60’000 grün-weisse Fans haben in diesem Glasgower Stadion Platz.
From the Luzern newspaper, they ask ” will Remo Freuler be playing soon in front of one of the greatest fan “wing” (ends) in the world? The Glasgow stadium holds more than 60,000 f the green and white fans.
Capped at under 21 for Switzerland seems to be an up and comer…
Hail Hail
Toi Toi Toi
We have an awful lot of ‘potential’ deadwood to sort out for Ronny come the end of August. Question marks over the following :
Zaluska
Fraser
McGeouch
Atajic
Rogic
Balde
Pukki
Boerrigter
Irvine
George
Griffiths
Stokes
Commons
Loans, exits, write-offs or skulking around the training ground feeling unloved ?
RD is an extremely articulate sports coach if nothing else however I find this conversation about diet very perplexing.
Professional footballers should know this stuff inside out by the time they are 21 years old, after all they have been playing continuous organised and structured sport since thy were 5 years old?
The adage about move more and eat less should not apply to footballers as they are moving all the time.
If you need to lose weight generally then reduce the calorie intake for each 24 hour period.
If you need to lose body fat then you modify your calorie intake so as to maintain the muscle mass while you burn the body fat down to around 14% ……which is where John Collins probably was in his prime.
Protein contains 4 calories per gram…..increase intake to maintain and/or grow muscle.
Carbohydrate contains 4 calories per gram…….decrease to burn fat
Good fat contains 9 calories per gram………decrease to burn fat
I would guess that a Celtic player would need around 3500-4000 calories per day total. How you wish your body to perform, look and behave is nothing more than adjusting the ratios of Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat that someone consumes in a 24 hour period…….assuming the activity levels remain constant.
The Internet is bursting with detailed information on the subject and ignorance is no excuse in this day and age.
Our Commonwealth athletes (Champion too) knock lumps out of our so called “professional” footballers in conditioning, performance and appearance…….probably on around 300 pounds per week of grants……?
If people are not prepared to “live the dream” 100% then they have to be shown the door in no uncertain terms…….
Just saying…..
ipaddy mccourt
13:20 on 18 August, 2014
Traditionalist88
I’ve been one of Kayal’s critics but I think he’d be ok in a central three in midfield. He looked very, very good on Saturday when he came on. Best I’ve seen from him in a long while.
——-
Ditto
Kayal looked like a proper footballer on Saturday. A sentence I’d almost given up hoping I might type some day.
HH. Jamesgang
weeminger
13:17 on 18 August, 2014
If she’s a member of the SNP then she’s agenda driven and I wouldn’t accept anything she says at face value.
Starry – What do you know of this fella ?
toscanabhoy
Preferably not,as I understand it the train links between Pisa/Florence/Siena are excellent so was planning to leverage these.
Rubicon
12:31 on
18 August, 2014
Timmy7_noted,
I can warmly recommend Villa la Vedetta in Florence. Just over the Arno from the centre of town. Beautiful if pricy hotel with the added benefit of a garden and pool.
So you are a Travel Agent now ???
Hope all good when we having a pint ?
67ECW
Maribor game should be approached with caution. Like big wavy, I’d go for Gordon, Lustig, Virgil, Denayer & Mulgrew at the back. If Efe is eligible to play, I’d put him in midfield, with McGregor, Johansen, Biton & Kayal and play Berget as a lone striker. Play for a draw Ronny, Europe is a different ball game.
Win the midfield v Maribor and win the game. Part of me hopes for a striker as the wildcard but I am now thinking that a centre mid would be more beneficial to us for this one crucial game. Failing to get one I would put Ambrose in the holding role with Johansen and Kayal in front Charlie to the left and Berget right mid.
Stokes and Commons up front. McGregor has played a lot of late but this isn’t the game to test his capacity or to let his reputation slip.
Sandman
“Relinquishing our 2nd chance at the prize would have gained what? ”
I never suggested that. I suggested that Celtic should have had the courage of their convictions and actually stated a position.
ger57
I am unsure about how much the duty of care towards shareholders would restrict us but, if that was the reason, we should have stated it so.
I cannot recall the wording about the 2 clubs agreeing but, if it is ther, then UEFA should remove it as this is an area where fair and impartial decision making should decide. I do not approve of rulings by “gentleman’s agreement”, as a rule, but, if it was written into this rule, then it needs to be given consideration, on this occasion
Just imagine if the eloctorate were treated like responsible adults and we were afforded an option for Devo Max and there had been pre-referendum negotiations on issues such as currency, national debt share, nuclear disarnment, oil revenuse tax share etc.
How much better would that have been for all of us going to the polls?
I wonder which of the two current campaigning sides have members, groups, parties who put a stop to both of the above.
I wonder which of the two current campaigning sides members, groups, parties are now falling over themselves to say they will offer extra powers without having a written signed and deliverd agreement to do so while at the same time use the position of having no current agreement on the negotiation and settlement deal to strike fear into the eloctorate.
MWD says AYE
sftb 1231
you say
“2) Both clubs involved agree that this is an unjust outcome and agree to set it aside. I understand that provision is written into the rules and allows UEFA some wiggle room, for circumstances such as these, that the rule did not foresee.
3) Unfortunately, UEFA leave the onus on the “wronged” club to initiate the contact to secure that agreement and it was left in Legia’s hands to contact Celtic to discuss whether agreement could be met. This is where it gets murky.”
Genuine Question
Where does it say that in the Rules ?
I haven’t seen that quoted anywhere and if it were the case then Legia would have gone public formally quoting the rules and calling on us to go along with the in asking UEFA to reconsider.
All they have done is appeal to our good nature/ try to shame us into agreeing to something there is simply no provision for.
I was discussing the approach to Maribor with Squire Danaher after the game on Saturday and all of us who were at the game were of the opinion thet we go 4 5 1 with Berget the number 9 and get as much height into the team as we can.So Mulgrew at LB sitting deep and maybe even Efe in the middle.Its not a game for lightweights.Pack the midfield and wait for a break/free kick opportunity. Any sort of draw or a narrow defeat will do for me.
timmy7_noted
13:39 on
18 August, 2014
I was discussing the approach to Maribor with Squire Danaher after the game on Saturday and all of us who were at the game were of the opinion thet we go 4 5 1 with Berget the number 9 and get as much height into the team as we can.So Mulgrew at LB sitting deep and maybe even Efe in the middle.Its not a game for lightweights.Pack the midfield and wait for a break/free kick opportunity. Any sort of draw or a narrow defeat will do for me.
———————————————————————-
Could be a good shout. His movement impressed me and we’ll need a lot of movement from whoever is up front!
Yet more patronising rubbish about Legia.
Rules are rules.
Weren’t Legia done for match fixing years ago? That would be cheating.
Celtic have done nothing wrong.
greendreamz
spot on…
My brother in law is a pro cyclist in Ireland and lives on grants he works hard to keep his weight off and is microscopic on his calorie intake.
I just don’t get the football culture of fizzy drinks and mid week nightclub visits.
worrys me if our players are so far behind