If it’s a choice between a trip to Macedonia or Azerbaijan, Celtic would doubtlessly prefer the former. Baku, where Azerbaijani club Qarabag reside, is not as far west as Astana, where Celtic played two years ago, but it’s east of Iraq and it’s not a city which appears in many tourist lists.
Rudar Pljevlja returned from Baku midweek with a 0-0 draw. In days gone by that was regarded as a great away European result, but the lack of away goal will much of the second leg is played on a knife-edge.
One large note of caution, Qarabag went out of Europe last season by a one goal aggregate margin to Red Bull Salzburg, who lost in Baku, but won in Glasgow a few months later. They have twice eliminated Polish opposition in the last five years.
My hunch is that Celtic are better than each potential opponent, but if we’re short of fitness or preparation, we’ll have more trouble than we want.
The good news is that neither club plays summer football, so they should be no better prepared that Celtic. Rudar finished competitively in May, Qarabag a week later, while both played their first competitive games of the season on Wednesday. From what I can tell, both also play on grass, so we’ll avoid the Scandinavian bounce.
Before concerning ourselves too much with the 3rd Champions League qualifying round we need to use today’s game against La Liga side Eibar to sharpen fitness, and take care of business in Iceland on Wednesday.
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Long ball over the top, LG waits for it to drop, tries to place it, hits keeper, nets rebound from tight angle
If Griffiths doesn’t start next week I shall be resuming my Ronny out campaign
You have been warned. ….!!
Where’s dena? 8))
Well done Leigh, good boost for him before Iceland.
HH
FT
Nadir will find it hard to shift Griff after this performance.
See what I did there?
HH!!
Izzy takes a sore one.
FT Leigh 3 goals after Efe’s headed opener.
We just beat a better team than stjarnan 4-1
Without Johansen :)
Cracked crests remain in the Design dept drawer
Excellent workout and result
Good work out.
Better in second half.
Quite physical game.
Gutted
Having to tear myself away from the golf and the Saurday night cyber party to go socialising in the toon ,some wummin have naw consideration. In protest ahm no putting on any Clinique moisturiser and only applying my never ending Brut aftershave. That’ll teach her
Enjoy your cyber pints chappies
Good training session,they were far superior to the
opposition that we face on Wednesday night,we
should be looking to win on the night to help the
co-efficient, it’s still early day’s but we have every
reason to be optimistic.
Cant wait for the Celtic beat La liga giants headlines.
Useful work out. Pleased for the fans who turned up. Logan looks a decent keeper. Leigh tells us what we already knew, he is the best striker at the Club. Credit to the kids, when they came on, to a man they did us proud.
MOTM Captain Marvel, perpetual motion, perpetual moaning
Excellent work out.
Pity Ciftci didn’t score.
Broonie doesn’t do friendlies
well I enjoyed that ….fun in the sun ….awfy braw …go go Griff the Biff…
braw
Griffiths will always score at this level, he is a very good SPL player, I hope he can screw the nut and earn the money he should from the game. Goal scorers are at a premium and he should be able to make himself a hero not just to Hibbys but for us as well.
burghbhoy
18:58 on 18 July, 2015
Excellent work out.
Pity Ciftci didn’t score.
Broonie doesn’t do friendlies
——–
Cheers all for the updates. Much appreciated.
Last line in the post above put a huge smile on my face!
HH jamesgang
Positives
Rogic, Lindsay, Bailly, Janko, Mulgrew, Fisher will all be able to slot seamlessly into team when needed.
Negatives.
AS star is fading.
JF promises a lot, needs to deliver a decent final ball and get more involved.
Griffiths 4 -1
The new keeper looked steady Janko and Rogic played well Fisher didnt let the side down Broonie was Broonie. I still havnt seen anything from Cifti but the Griff shows he should be our main striker.That side are in for a hard season in the Spanish League well done to the hoops now go and turn over the team from Iceland. H.H.
Still 80’s and 100 with bet 365
That is Sergio Garcia odds 8))
igc
18:46 on 18 July, 2015
On the legal theme, I just looked up the Charlie Mulgrew Costco episode.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/celtic-star-charlie-mulgrew-child-1093183
When you have a spare minute and don’t mind your brain cells dying off, have a read.
That story has all the hallmarks of a David Murray, Joanna Lumley, porn director/ lawman fable
Strange case mate…..
If Charlie Mulgrew thought it was ok to leave a wean in a car because he was sleeping, then Michelle Moanycow was right to report him though.The wean could have vomited and choked to death.
I don’t quite get your analogy on SDM…..please elaborate?
bournesouprecipe
19:03 on 18 July, 2015
Griffiths 4 -1
Excellent technique from Leigh bringing the ball under control
The msm will find a way to play that result down. If Warbo’s Wonders had beaten the El Toro tapas bar XI in Spain it would be headlines in the Sunday Wail.
Satisfied with Celtic display. Brilliant Griffiths.
Blantyre
100/ 1 for Sergio garcia to sign for celtic?
Thumbs up for the Griffalo
Thumbs up for the Griffalo
Thumbs up for the Griffalo
Thumbs up for the Griffalo
————————–
I really like the fact that he didn’t have it easy in first half but stuck at it and got his reward.
Like others have said, the youngsters showed up well. Just need games with the big bhoys on a regular basis to bring them on.
Good runout.
Excellent result against robust European opposition on a tight pitch and against some ‘generous’ refereeing.
Good debut for Bailly and liked Janko at RB – boy’s got some pace ! Griffiths is back to his sharpest best and must start up front. VvD’s ball forGriffs hat trick showed great vision and execution – we will miss him when he goes !
Lots of run outs, increased fitness for some regulars and a weekend off for others.
Tight for the first 20 mins on Wednesday and a first half goal will see the tie secured. If we play like the second half today we should win comfortably. It’s coming together nicely
COYBIG
Many thanks for updates and links guys, great service.
Hail!hail!
‘Bully-Bhoys Celtic Harsh On Spanish Monnows’
Sunday Mail 19/7/15
Shifty and Griffty. Has a certain ring to it.
Rudicanfail.
Chuck dumped her ….hence the call
Fitballers and dyed blondes
Wits
As much chance as him winning the open
Brilliant – I know hee-haw but my ideal pre-season would be a couple of testing, lung-busting stramashes with the odd big scorin’ humpin’s thrown in for morale-boostin’ guid measure….
HH
Goodnight Timland.
A wee heads up for the horse racing clique on here,the
McIlvanney in conversation on radio shortie at 1:00pm
tomorrow is about legendary Irish trainer Vincent O’Brien.
God bless take care and be nice.