Riga’s only domestic points dropped this season came in a defeat on match day two of the Latvian league. Since then, they have recorded 18 wins in 19 outings; the only reversal came away to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Champions League qualification. Impressive, though a run of 17 consecutive domestic wins and one in the Europa League is, such riches do not harden you for tougher challenges, as Celtic have learned to their cost.
Last season, they eliminated Dundalk from Champions League qualification on penalties, then recorded impressive away goals wins over Polish side Piast Gliwice and HJK Helsinki before succumbing 3-2 on aggregate to Copenhagen in the playoff round. The Danes recorded a better result against Celtic later in the competition.
Riga were formed five years ago after a merger of two clubs. They are on their 15th manager since, none have lasted a year. With 7.5 months tenure, current boss, Russian Oleg Kononov, will be looking over his shoulder if he does not get a result tonight. If he looks like there is an edge to him, that’s why.
Neil Lennon’s tenure is more assured, but, if anything, the stakes are higher for Celtic, whose prevailing business model has precious few strands left, with fans forced to watch games at home and in pubs, instead of being distanced in the wide-open spaces of Celtic Park. The most positive consideration is that having gotten so many things wrong already this season, we know where our soft underbelly is.
You are not going to hear this often from me, I’m not even sure how to start. All four Scottish clubs involved in Europe are away from home tonight, it suits our purpose for all to proceed. In what could be a tight and curtailed season, where squads could be hit by isolation rules, it will not help for any direct rival to have a full week to prepare for games – whether we are involved in Europe or not.
We have the strongest squad, best manager and are by far the best run club in Scotland. Under normal circumstances, 10-in-a-row would be straightforward, but so much of what lies ahead between now and May is unknown. I don’t want to anyone else having a week off to prepare for their Premiership game.
Normal elimination preferences will resume next season.
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What are the odds on all 4 Scottish clubs getting pumped tonight?
(All winnings will go to a charity of my choice)
judith on the weather, which is nice
Sorry for being shallow and predictable but, provided we have qualified then after that I’ll be mostly supporting Willem II. I would only ever want Sevco to draw or win if it was the ONLY way of Celtic progressing or winning something. Sport without healthy rivalry is nothing ;-)
What are the odds on all 4 Scottish clubs getting pumped tonight?
—
shorter if we play BSR’s midfield
ERNIE LYNCH on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 11:29 AM
BIG JIMMY on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 11:16 AM
‘ I am not hurting anyone else, or making anyone else unhappy’
####
Some of you jokes are rubbish though.
( And I’m only saying what everyone else is thinking).
……………………
NOT Everyone ERNIE…as DAVID66 enjoys my wee jokes…or at least that what he tells me ? LOL
Whether my jokes are rubbish or not…I refuse to believe that they actually make anyone UNHAPPY ?
Just for CLARITY…My jokes and patter have wooed many a fair maiden over the years…I havent done too badly over the years.
HH.
HRVATSKI JIM on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 1:43 PM
I was surprised to get an email from Celtic saying that tonight’s match is covered by the Celtic Pass. Pass the word.
_________________________________________________
I’m afraid that’s not quite the whole story. You can watch the whole game via your Celtic Pass but it’s at 10pm, so not ‘live’. But at least it does give all season ticket holders the chance to see it in full so hopefully a healthy turnout for the usual voting ;-)
Back to workin’ and lurkin’…..
This is my friend. He’s fekin amazing. If you’ve got a wee 10 bob, think about flinging it in the can please…..🙏
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/martin-donaldson3
HH jg
BIG JIMMY
I look forward to your posts which usually make me laugh, unless you’re being serious of course.
Ignore him, by the way, he posts to get a reaction and anyway he can read all our minds so no need to reply to the twat.
WBC ( over the page )
Knowing NFL it’ll likely be something completely different but he’s not as formationally / tactically challenged, as BR
It was attack, high press and nothing else in Europe whereas Neil has a bit more nous IMO.
Jobo…I’ll go one better and be even shallowerer (eh?)…couldn’t care less about any other Scottish clubs’s results in Europe. It used to be the case that I did for the co-efficient but to hell with them…they’ve been no help for a loooong time now
H.H.
BSR
You make me laugh too……….sometimes.
:-)
Round about now somebody asks is the game on VST or Celtic TV?
Premier Sports £9.99 a month
Live from Latvia K.O. 18:00 Celtic Park Time
Enjoy the match CSC
PHILBHOY
You just made Ernie splutter his Port all over his Cravat there.
Suarez to A Madrid for 6 Million – now that’s a steal. Still a great scorer and athlete.
Good afternoon Bhoys and Ghirls from a dry North Glasgow
I would prefer 2 up top, but I realise away from home in Europe it will probably be 1.
HH
D :)
BIG JIMMY
Your jokes are fine by me big mhan, but then I think
SAINT STIVS is funny as well.
Need to bed down now, middle of the night rise.
2-0 to the Bhoys. .
H.H Mick
Jobo and everyone else.
Sorry that I did not read the email fully.
BSR…someone posted a Premier Sports intoduction discount code on here lately taking the monthly down to £4.99…like a tube I forgot to bookmark it
Deniabhoy
Suarez ….. after his move to Juve fell through after he was caught cheating in his exam to get Italian citizenship!!
Yon would have been a perfect match of cheats.
HH jg
HRVATSKI JIM on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 2:08 PM
Jobo and everyone else.
Sorry that I did not read the email fully
————
You let yourself down. You let your family down. You let your Club down……
Don’t be so hard on yourself Jim!! 🍀💚🍀💚🍀
Hand of God,
Well remembered. He wasn’t a football fan unfortunately.
Right Celtic, don’t concede a daft early goal please. Then we can take it from there.
THELURKINTIM
Don’t worry so did I, but code had expired 😂
TURKEYBHOY
Trying to picture that!
:-)
THELURKINTIM on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 2:08 PM
Would try the obvious celtic499 or celtic 499😵
MAJESTIC HARTSON
Indeed!
Keep it tight for the opening 20………….then do them!
ANYONE interested in getting PREMIER SPORTS for the Celts game on Thurs night & hopefully the next rd go on to Premier sports & use the code CELTIC499 you’ll get Premier for a month for £4.99

”The El Hamedians” has a nice historical ring to it – I like it.
Fought alongside the Carthaginians in the Third Punic wars against the Romans in 146 BC.
Took a right doin’
HH
BGFC
RoaminInTheGloamin…CFC
HANKRAY on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 1:11 PM
I quite agree . What does give me hope is our away form . Beating Lazio away , you would think was more difficult than beating Cluj/openhagen at home!
THELURKINTIM
Uppercase via Bada above!
Cheers Bada 👍 is that the expired code lol
Big Jimmy…am gonna forgo my beers tonight if yer still up for hitting the toon tomoz?
H.H.
BIG JIMMY on 24TH SEPTEMBER 2020 1:51 PM
I never said they were all rubbish, just some of them.
Enjoy the game.
BGFC…so, the Hamedians and the Carthaginians took a right doin’ from the Romans.
Had Dallasanderos been the referee the result would have been different. You know how he hates the Romans…
Philboy
I think:
we will win 2-1 (2-0 up, let one in and squeaky bum)
huns will win 2-0 (outplayed but 2 breakaways)
Aberdeen will lose 5-0 (going on 8-0)
Motherwell will lose 2-0 (decent effort but slack at the back)
If Celtic get beaten tonight I predict absolute Carthage
TLT what about me? Discrimination! Gerrintaethum Celtic!!!!
This one is on Twitter.
On comments below people have said it worked.
Anyone wanting to watch the Celtic game for £1 tonight can do so by subscribing to Premier sports and use the code SERIEA1
Skybet odds to qualify
Riga 13/2
Celtic 1/14
On the one hand – bearing in mind that bookies are “usually” good at their job (ie 13/2 shots rarely defeat a 1/14 shot in a 2 way event) – these odds suggest we will progress without too much trouble.
On the other hand – the odds were probably very similar in our last tie against Ferencváros…
C’mon the hoops!
HH
Historical silliness – I love it :-))
I’ll copy Miss BGFC in – she’s in her final year at St Andrews doing a history Masters – she’ll love that.
“Dallasandro” made me chuckle
“absolute Carthage” tee-hee
Very silly :-)))
HH
BGFC