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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Timmy7
I would concur with the other posters who have recommended Lucca as part of your trip. Cracking wee city with good train links to other major towns in Tuscany.
For me a day is enough for Pisa.
Florence is an amazing place and Siena also definitely worth a visit. If you’re getting the train to Siena be sure to wear your walking boots as it’s a bit of a trek from the station up to the old town.
THINDIMEBHOY 1442
That is where I tend to disagree with a lot of friends.
I believe some publications on the future Scottish economy,they believe others.
It’s a total nightmare when you really canny trust a single word from the people you trust to run your country.
That’s not a dig,btw. I don’t trust any of them. Rooting through stuff to try to get near the truth is like nailing jelly to a wall.
I think the Swiss bhoy is an attacking MF……
Natknow
I’m a glass half full sort of guy but get your point absolutely. We’ll play cuter buggers than DUFC this season even in Scotland but God, give me that first half again. Absolutely loved the pace, movement, closing down and goal action.
timmy7_noted
Myself and my wife did the Florence/Pisa trip last year. One day is more than enough in Pisa.There’s just not much to see in the place apart from the Tower. If I had it to do again,I would spend the extra day in Florence. We stayed in the Hotel Diplomat which was an excellent spot in Santa Maria Novella, just beside the Train Station in Florence. Its a ten minute walk to the Duomo and all the wonderful sights in the City Centre. Eating out at night is a pleasure and very reasonable with a vast selection of restaurants to pick from.
Take the Hop on hop off Bus Tour as well. It was very good. I’d also recommend getting off the bus in the little village of Fiesole just above the City. Stunning scenery and a great spot to go for a walk and have a bite to eat.
Marti
NatKnow
I think we will see a number of our squad players loaned out once we have sorted where we play in Europe this season and Ronny has earmarked his first team pool.
Anyone not registered for Europe can either leave or go out on loan. I think Balde will either be loaned or sold. I think McGeouch is in the same boat to be honest. Few of the youngsters can be loaned out with the incentive that Calum McGregor was loaned out and came back ready for the first team.
Ronny may use the same system that we have used for bringing players in. The try before you buy loan experience can be used for possibly Derk, Pukki and Balde if Ronny decides they don;t fit into his plans although I think Ronny may see Derk as a player of some value going forward. As for Pukki I just don;t understand the lad at all. He looks like he has the ability but doesn;t either sem interested or that bothered when I watch him. A very frustrating figure is Pukki. I hope Ronny can motivate the Bhoy because there is a very good player there just waiting to explode on the football pitch.
LB
JohnnyClash and Marti Sandino thanks for the feedback,seems like week will not be enough!!
NatKnow
No response required thanks as i misread your initial statement. I do not contribute much to this Celtic blog as i ultinately only drop in to catch up with all the latest topics/gossip, i was merely stating my opinion that it would be a much better read if we stuck to football related matters. Maybe another side-blog should be created for all political matters? #opinions
Cheers.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
15:26 on 18 August, 2014
NATKNOW 1438
I reckon that people will be motivated to vote in the referendum,while they may not have been in a Scottish or General Election.
Coupla reasons.
People are used to elections where their vote,by and large doesn’t count. Not much point in doing so if a party has a huge majority. And there aren’t a lot of ‘swing’ seats in Westminster or Holyrood.
Also,nobody really cares about those elections because our vote,even in a swing seat,makes no overall difference. Witness the number of times you,I,or anyone else talks about it in the pub.
This one can.
That’s why I think we will see a high turnout,possibly up to 75%.
And btw,I reckon the higher the turnout the more it swings to YES.
I genuinely believe it is gonna be tight,and dependent on one or two clever moves near the death.
Or,more likely,gaffes.
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Take you point dude. I just wondered at the 75% figure. Turnout – it’s a bit like an Aberdeen vs St. Johnston Cup Final – a shot at glory has half the town looking for a ticket!
Timmy7,
I’ve got to concur with the guys who reckon a day visit to Pisa is enough. Firenze is worth the time and effort but don’t go to the Baskin Robinns Ice cream parlour next to the Dom as they are a shower of Robbin Baskins – it was €7 for a cone when we were there 4 years ago, even the German wummin in front of me was complaining about the price. I agree with JC visit Siena and if fit enough go up the tower. I believe they have some sort of mad footy match in the square in front of the tower but not sure when.
You’ll be alright for your Tennent’s Super lager though as it is very popular in this area for some reason ;-)
Gearoid 1998.
Thanks for the offer but would have to stay at the laws. The big woman is actually in Medjugore this week with her Ma. Will phone you to confirm. Saturday was a big improvement. I liked the way we kept pressing. That’s 2 goals in 2 games doing that.
If we can keep to -1 at most on Wednesday I think we will go through with the Celtic Park crowd playing their part.
hail hail!
Has the player from Rubin Kazan signed for us?
Natknow, which one did you try?
Markyjig
15:40 on 18 August, 2014
NatKnow
No response required thanks as i misread your initial statement. I do not contribute much to this Celtic blog as i ultinately only drop in to catch up with all the latest topics/gossip, i was merely stating my opinion that it would be a much better read if we stuck to football related matters. Maybe another side-blog should be created for all political matters? #opinions
Cheers.
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Didn’t mean to offend dude. I believe the CQN blog is to undergo a revision. Perhaps the idea of different threads will be used for those who want to discuss politics, religion, toasted/roasted cheese, etc.. :-)
A Ceiler Gonof Rust
15:42 on 18 August, 2014
Has the player from Rubin Kazan signed for us?
Natknow, which one did you try?
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Both of thum! Lovely!
:-))))
A summary of CQN posts over the last week or so…..
1. Yes or No
2. Ronny oot
3. Ronny in
and lastly No.4 … Too many posters using the word “fella”. Please desist. It’s sounds naff.
big wavy
15:33 on 18 August, 2014
Natknow
I’m a glass half full sort of guy but get your point absolutely. We’ll play cuter buggers than DUFC this season even in Scotland but God, give me that first half again. Absolutely loved the pace, movement, closing down and goal action.
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Strongly Agree. :-)))
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
15:31
When you cant trust the politicians you have to trust your instinct
My instinct tells me Westminster and the London elite need us for economic reasons not for any altruistic reasons based on our culture and love for all things Jock
In fact a good few English folk want us to leave because they are sick of our moaning !
We should oblige given the opportunity
Just had a text from Declan……….’Disgusted that the CSA will issue a decision at 5 tonight as to whether Leigh Griffiths is allowed to play against Maribor’…………….
TBM
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
15:42 on 18 August, 2014
Yes the whole tennents super thing is bizarre,I was in Tokyo years ago working and the hotel bar sold it!! All the young trendies seemed to be drinking it. :-)
My main reason for waiting so long to go to Florence is exactly your experience with the ice cream,I’ve had many similar experiences in Rome,Milan and Turin.Probably the worse actually was the vatican city won’t go into it here though.
LiviBhoy
15:34 on 18 August, 2014
NatKnow
I think we will see a number of our squad players loaned out once we have sorted where we play in Europe this season and Ronny has earmarked his first team pool.
Anyone not registered for Europe can either leave or go out on loan. I think Balde will either be loaned or sold. I think McGeouch is in the same boat to be honest. Few of the youngsters can be loaned out with the incentive that Calum McGregor was loaned out and came back ready for the first team.
Ronny may use the same system that we have used for bringing players in. The try before you buy loan experience can be used for possibly Derk, Pukki and Balde if Ronny decides they don;t fit into his plans although I think Ronny may see Derk as a player of some value going forward. As for Pukki I just don;t understand the lad at all. He looks like he has the ability but doesn;t either sem interested or that bothered when I watch him. A very frustrating figure is Pukki. I hope Ronny can motivate the Bhoy because there is a very good player there just waiting to explode on the football pitch.
LB
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Yep – I’d rather see our young players loaned out to get experience than not getting game time at a decent level. Ronny seems like the kind of guys who wants to assess and give every player the opportunity to prove themselves. Teemu seems like a wee boy lost at times. Hopefully Ronny can find something in him and bring it out.
Like others, I was surprised to read at the weekend about the lack of attention to diet etc. I seem to remember Weeminger and I having a CQN discussion about this about 6 years ago. I was suggesting that professional athletes shouldn’t be letting alcohol pass their lips never mind going for nights out bevvying. You don;t see track and field athletes do this. Maybe I’m being unrealistic but I expect professional sportemen to act professionally and that includes looking at all aspects of their lifestyle.
SmashinMilkBottles
No. 4 sounds a bit harsh fella :)
SmashingMilkBottles
Fella may well be naff but I refuse to use an alternative like bloke which reminds me of On The Buses and Blakey
Theres’s worse than fella……………….bud.
“Both clubs involved agree that this is an unjust outcome and agree to set it aside. I understand that this provision is written into the rules and allows UEFA some wiggle room, for circumstances such as these, that the rule did not foresee”
Wow, thats a belter of a rule, wonder if anyone can recall the last time it was actually used…
NatKnow
I think team sports are slightly different to athletes and it is not realistic that they won;t drink at all but they should not be drinking into the early hours.
We all know how hard it is to recover when you are up half the night.
I did read somewhere once that every hour slept before midnight is the equivalent of two after midnight. Not sure if that is a myth or not but from my own experience I know the later I go to bed the worse I feel the next day no matter how many hours kip I get.
The key for Ronny is to get it drummed into the younger players now. They will not know any other way. Players used to having their midweek booze session may be difficult to change but the like of McGregor can be educated before they go down the route and get used to it. It is easy for us to state that they should do without a drink and it’s a short career, etc, etc. I think it would be different if you were used to good cash as a footballer and the chance to go bevvying twice a week. I think the reality is that the players either adapt or hit the road. I doubt Ronny will make exceptions for anyone.
LB
timmy7_noted
15:50 on 18 August, 2014
;-)
Defensively Celtic were very lax on Saturday ,i was not impressed.
Offensively we scored against a very poor Dundee Utd defensive unit.
We were deserved winners against piss poor opposition.
( McNamara for Celtic manager.No thanks.)
We will need to park the bus in Slovenia ,otherwise the tie will be over before the 2nd tie at Celtic Park.
I really do not expect us to progress in the CL this season.
TT
Hey fellas can we not just be buds and stop complaining about how we address each other? Thanks mateys.
TinyTim
In Jackie’s defence he has lost a few key players and probably couldn;t believe how good Celtic were first half. GMS could and should have scored twice and the game is different.
We had the element of surprise on Saturday. Nobody sitting near me could believe the half time score except my wee Bhoy who didn;t see much of the first half because he was watching the seagulls!
LB
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles,
You took that too far, old bean.
gordon_j backing neil lennon
No dramas comrade.
TinyTim
We have moved from being all over the place all over the pitch to improvement at Perth to further improvement at home.
Players getting fitter, players coming in, players getting used to the new system / regime.
From a harsh start in ECL we are improving. I hope to see more of that on Wednesday. Nobody is expecting much from ECL but history tells us WGS and Lenny both went through transitional first year too. Why should Ronny be judged differently.
Can anyone confirm to me if the game is on sky sports 5 on Wednesday night. In javea at the mo and struggling to find a bar to show the game. Does sky go not work when abroad.
SS5
Cheers bb.
NatKnow
15:09 on 18 August, 2014
Sheik Yerbouti
14:53 on 18 August, 2014
Moonbeams WD. Wee Oscar’s our Bhoy and Kano’s our mhan.
13:52 on 18 August, 2014
What time is CAS result due and do UEFA need to comply with decision?
MWD says AYE
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I asked this question earlier
On page 40 of the last article
Got no reply
Hope U have more luck
Id like to know
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I don’t believe any CAS decision is binding upon UEFA – unless UEFA, Legia and Celtic have all agreed to abide by the CAS decision in advance – which they have not. CAS is a quasi-legal body for arbitration – not a court of law. I believe it is up to UEFA to decide whether or not they want to accept anything CAS may have to say. If UEFA decide to ignore the CAS opinion, Legia will need to take the matter up through a court of law. Sion FC did this and took it as far as they could. Here’s an excert from Wiki which describes what happened ultimately to them :
“On 15 December, CAS upheld the complaints by UEFA, affirming its right to discipline Sion according to previous agreements. CAS also lifted the provisional measures ordered by the Tribunal Cantonal of Vaud (Cour civile) on 5 October 2011.[20] After the ruling, FIFA threatened to suspend Swiss national and club teams from international competition if FC Sion were not appropriately penalized for its ostensible rules violations.[21] In late December 2011, the Swiss Football Association complied with FIFA’s demands and penalized Sion 36 standings points (based on how many matches ineligible players were involved), moving the club to last place in the league standings and putting the club at risk of relegation if the ruling stands.”
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Awesome post
Detailed and to the point
Now for the decision
I’m still nervous tho
Dundee Utd won there first two league games with no goals against and four goals for so to say they are a very poor team is incorrect.The fact of the matter is they started the game by trying to have a go at Celtic rather than parking the bus but came unstuck as Celtic turned on the football and took there chances if Utd had taken there chances it would have been a different story. H.H.
TheBarcaMole
15:48 on
18 August, 2014
Just had a text from Declan……….’Disgusted that the CSA will issue a decision at 5 tonight as to whether Leigh Griffiths is allowed to play against Maribor’…………….
TBM
Whit! ah foat Leigh pyed for aw his weans! :-)