Mid-hibernating Zenit for Celtic

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Celtic will face Zenit St Petersburg on the last 32 of the Europa League in February next year. The first leg will be at Celtic Park on 15 February, three weeks before Zenit’s season resumes after a three-month winter shutdown, with the return leg a week later. They take to the field for the final time before the break tonight.

After going through the nerves of tackling mid-season Scandinavian opponents in the Champions League qualifiers, this draw is encouraging. While Brendan and the players have plenty of work today before our own three week break, they will be encouraged at the prospect of extending our run in Europe into the spring.

We’re happy.

CQNWonderfulOffer5

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281 Comments

  1. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Joe Miller turned 50 at the weekend there, doesn’t that make you feel old⚽️⚽️⚽️

  2. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Jobo 9.11pm

     

     

    You are in a bad place if you are in the sane frame of mind as me :-)

     

     

    If you don’t mind me asking did you get a wee early finish today ? :-)

     

     

    I chucked work at 2pm and my sister (Cotton House) gave me a wee lift home

  3. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    O G Rafferty at 4.14, that wee Zavarov, the Kiev 9 , did Tommy in that 1986 game . Tommy ended up missing most of that season . Tommy was having a great game and that wee nyaff knew full well what he was doing when he caught Tommy on the ankle. It was no surprise Zavarov ended up at Rubentus , their type of player.

     

     

    It would be nice if our team is freshened up a bit on Wednesday, just my opinion . Calvin Miller to start instead of Kieran, who I think needs a rest in our next two midweek games. If Kouassi is fit , start him also instead of Stuart Armstrong. If Calum starts , I would rather he did not start in such an advance position. I feel he plays and we pay better from a less advanced role. Griff would be my first choice striker this Wednesday.

  4. Gerryfaethebrig on

    BT 9.13pm

     

     

    Thankfully Joe is still older than me :-)

     

     

    I remember when the Evening Times broke the story on the Friday night that we signed Joe, I was over the moon, we should have played him through the middle more :-)

  5. DALLAS-was in the jungle that night TB got done,just in front of me on the half way line.Tommy had started Well that night if I remember

  6. Prestonpans Bhoy,

     

    Thanks. None the wiser. I’ll just go via Paris. That worked the last time. ;-)

  7. GFTB –

     

    Our office was finally closed (no heating at all!) at 9.30am but should have happened at least an hour earlier as it was clear that it was a major problem. But not the early finish you were imagining as I then simply worked from home instead (computers can be good and bad at times!). I’ve to call the emergency helpline number at 10.30pm tonight to see if the building will be open tomorrow. Otherwise it’ll be more ‘working from home’.

     

    In the meantime, off to watch some 4-episodes-over-4-nights_ITV_drama_thing. Will report back in later…

  8. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Dallas 9.15pm

     

     

    Canny believe you got out the door before me today :-)

     

     

    Enjoy your day off the morra, I will need to do my penance tomorrow but it’s worth my Monday skive

  9. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Jobo 9.24pm

     

     

    Working from home ??? That means you are one of the bosses :-)

     

     

    By all accounts Cotton House was also quite cold, I just left because it was Monday, which encouraged my sister to leave early as well :-)

  10. Drove to Boness this morning and it was -8 so no chance of being allowed to work on the building site.Back home for 10! I’ve had worse days#delbhoy

  11. Art of War: Alison, terrible news. It has been a tough year for you.

     

     

    Ar dheis láimh Dhé go raibh a hanam uasal.

     

     

    Throw ins yesterday, very poor. Its an aspect we could easily improve upon.

  12. mike in toronto on

    Hello lads

     

     

    Not that bothered about the EL ….. I had it in my head that I wanted us to get in the CL … and we did … so, whatever we do after the holidays is a bonus

     

     

    but, we need to turn our focus back to the league ….

     

     

    there was a comment on the weekend about the records since the last game at Snake Mountan, which surprised me … I cant remember who noted it, but I went and checked

     

     

    if I have my math right, since we won at Snake Mountain (Castle G is the home of the good guys),, we have won 5 and drawn 4 …. for 19 out of 27 possible points. On that pace, over a full season, we would barely beat Aberdreen’s point total from last season…

     

     

    and no matter how much we want to laugh at them, since we beat them, the zombies have picked up 25 out of a possible 30 points …

     

     

    so we need to start closing games out …. or this league could be a lot closer than it has any business being.

     

     

    ps… just scrolling back just now … a nicer spirit on the blog today … perhaps Fanatic’s Cady Heron moment from last night has resonated …. good to see.

  13. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Art of War, may Alison’s soul rest in peace. I hope nexr year is better for your family.

     

     

    Gerry, I had an appointment at Hairmyres at 3 . It was so inconvenient getting an appointment at 3 today lol .

  14. I’m sure in the MON days the players referred to Ibrokes as Castle Greyskull. Sutton springs to mind, it might have been in his book.

  15. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Dallas 9.38pm

     

     

    Monday’s are Monday’s it’s the only day I have a free dig at our fellow teammates, I know I shouldn’t but feel I need to, after you what said about Zenit it seems a great draw keep the gunners & Charlie Nic for Lyon May 2018 :-)

  16. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Fairhill bhoy, Tommy was causing Kiev problems that night when they clocked onto how good a player he was.

     

     

    Zavarov caught him with six studs on the ankle. I dont think Tommy played for us again that season , the injury was that bad.

     

     

    I was hoping we would have signed Gerry McCabe from Clydebank as cover . Gerry was a very good player.

     

     

    The only good thing about the night of that Kiev game , my two pals and I managed to get into the Barras tosee the Housemartins after slipping a bouncer , a tenner . It was a great gig.

  17. Watching Reading v Cardiff. Callum Paterson playing for Cardiff, absolutely hopeless, he’s just been subbed. Liam Moore whom we have been linked, playing for Reading at centre half. Looks a decent player.

  18. Never known a Celtic team who could take shies. Don’t know why but it has never ceased to annoy me that team after team, season after season, never seems to learn. Way beyond my ken.

  19. mike in toronto on

    GFTB …. I’m still trying to work out what my cut will be…. I paid his intial entry fee the first LMS he entered, I think … so, that will need to come off the top …. with interest, of course! …..

     

     

    and then there are agent’s fees … 15% is the usual ….which are different, of course, from the usual lawyer’s fees …..and since this is a cross-border transaction, I suspect there will additional legal charges …. in fact, I can almost guarantee it!

     

     

    by the time I’m finished with him, it will cost him more to win than to lose!

     

     

    (unless, of course, he goes nuclear – threatening to stop cooking sunday dinner for me .. in which case, we will call it even!)

     

     

    :)

     

     

    :)

  20. DALLAS DALLAS,

     

    I well remember that night that Tommy Burns was put out of the game. I thought it was the best I had seen him play; and it was against class opposition. They deliberately put him out of the game, as quite obviously they saw him as our major threat.

  21. MIT.

     

    Zombies 25 out of 30??

     

    They lost to Hamilton and Dundee. That’s 6 dropped from those 2 games

     

    Hail Hail

  22. Gerryfaethebrig on

    MIT 9.48pm

     

     

    Once a lawyer …… :-)

     

     

    Roll on Goals For Shay, you can hide behind your lawyer speak but me and you both know how always picked the Sevs :-) it wasn’t me

     

     

    LITCSC :-)

  23. mike in toronto on

    JNP …. why do you think I went to law school? they told me there would be no math!

     

     

    d’oh!

     

     

    :)

  24. DALLAS DALLAS-Gerry was a brilliant player,and a local guy,so always seen him around the place,still do

  25. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Parkheadcumsalford, the Kiev player stood up all innocent as though it was just a mistimed challenge , it clearly wasn’t .

     

     

    When he signed for Rubentus , I saw him in highlights of their games making simila ‘mistimed’ tackles.

  26. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Fairhill Bhoy, at that time Clydebank were my local team . I woukd go to Kilbowie if they had a midweek game on and we didn’t.

     

     

    Gerry was one of the reasons I went there , a real stand out player. Even if he wasn’t in the best of form, he always did at least one special thing in each game.

  27. Fairhill Bhoy 9.55pm

     

     

    I have drank in the Bay Horse, Gloss and the Palace but I wouldn’t say I was a local, didn’t realise you saw me ever playing, Jock Stein AstroTurf maybe or Fearnigar (sic) :-)

     

     

    Fellow Celtic fans Monday is so much more relaxed than that CQN weekend shift :-)

     

     

    Good night n god bless

  28. The order to do TB came from the CBs, shouting to the MFs, and pointing, once they got the message, Tommy was done 2 minutes later.

  29. Remember folks, the Russians being Russians, will already be active on the blog, sowing their seeds and disinformation. Not just here but on the Facetweet and MySpace, be alert. When we mention their followers zenit really becomes scary.

     

     

    The Russians are everywhere, I’m heading back behind the couch.

  30. Gooooood Evening CQN

     

    AoW, sorry to read about your SiL

     

    May Alison Rest In Peace

     

     

    Now

     

    How many changes, if any do we think Brendan will make on Wed night ?

     

    Could we play

     

    Gamboa, Ajer,Bitton & Miller, as a back 4 ?

     

    Svietchenko and Hayes could also fit into a back 4, not sure if young Ralston is back fit yet ?

     

    Will now think about midfield :-))

  31. 67 European Cup Winners on

    Joe Miller. Saw him in a bar in Seville He was there as a supporter having a beer wearing a Celtic strip and on the back it had Miller and number 7

     

    I always thought how cool that a former player, wears the top he wore when he played, when he goes to watch Celtic

     

    Happy birthday Joe

     

    67ECW