Celtic were one of five seeds from the Champions League, champions’ section, in the last round, but only one of the other seeds is still in the competition, so while seeding is welcome, it would be a mistake to read too much into it.
I’ve no idea what happened in Malmo last night, where the Swedish champions overturned Salzburg’s two goal lead from the first leg in a remarkable first half, and are a potential opponent for Celtic in today’s draw. At half time I still fancied Salzburg to get things together and qualify, but Swedish football gets its act together every now and then. There appears to be some substance to this Malmo team.
A trip to Albania to play Skenderbeu would be ideal. They are a small town club who are in the play-off round after beating Crusaders and Moldovan’s Milsami Orhei. It would also give those of us who’ve been around for a while a chance to bore the rest of you about that great game against Partizan Tirana.
A return to Astana is also possible, this time to play FK Astana, who beat HKJ Helsinki in the last round. The most alarming fact about Astana is that they beat Maribor in the second round. You remember Maribor? The name sounds familiar but I can’t place them.
The team with the highest coefficient we can face is Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Maccabi overcame a first leg defeat to Hibernians (the Maltese Hibs, that is). They then lost at home to Czechs Viktoria Plzen but a two goal victory in Plzen saw them through. I missed the preseason game against Sparta Prague, what shape is Czech club football in?
Former finalists Partizan Belgrade are the fifth and final possibility. They beat the Georgian champions before seeing off seeded former winners Steaua Bucharest in the third round. So although Skenderbeu would be my choice, a trip to Belgrade would be a decent alternative.
Reading through the list, the one thing which is evident is that Champions League football would be transformational for every team in the ‘champions’ side of the draw. The aspirations invested in qualifying will be huge. The Albanians would earn around 20 times their annual income. Expect every trick in the book.
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Early afternoon to you all.
Firstly, the Malmö CSC is delighted to have gotten the chance to see the Bhoys in town. It promises to be a great occasion.
In terms of opposition, Malmö is the team we certainly fear the most from the 5. Although they’ve lost a few key players, they are still very strong. Indeed, they really humped Red Bull with only 11 men on the park for 60 minutes. That said, the Bhoys have more than enough flair and talent to get past them.
Finally, the home support make a hell of a lot of noise throughout the game, and are definitely the 12th man/woman. Hope to see many of you over. Malmö is a Celtic-friendly town on the whole.
Just looking at the Malmo squad.Dont think they have a present player who plays for the national team.Not as far as I can see.
Celtic can beat Malmo.
No one is saying they cannot.
The problem is it is going to be a lot tougher than some of the other sides might have been.
Quarabag couldn’t head the ball and offered no threat.
This team will and Celtic are not clinical or threatening enough in front of goal as yet. You can discount 4 goals against the Icelanders.
It was a struggle to break down Quarabag at home.
I see this being similar.
I worry about where our goals come from and I don’t think our defenders are as much as an advantage over this side as they were over Quarabag.
If we are put out by a team containing Berget I shudder to think what people will say.
Wonder how we’d all be reacting to the draw if it was Red Bull we were facing, instead of Malmo?
Anyway apart from worrying about our opponents and the fact we’re away in the 2nd leg (and let’s not forget that any team getting to Rnd 4 of the CL deserves respect) our main worries should be our lack of finishing and the yellow cards carried forward by Izzy.
Wonder what the plans are to address these issues?
Definitely a winnable tie. Especially if we can find our shooting boots by then.
Ach ffs, let’s not bother turning up, we won’t beat Malmo, we can’t score, they are bigger than us, they have a fanatic home support, not the draw I wanted, were at home first, honest ti god it beggars belief, never known so many S…. Bags, Malmo? Bring it on, I hope to feck no players come in here today, then again, some of the lurking Huns flashed there drawers there, I saw them.
Lurking Huns GIRFUYs.
The draw could have been much kinder, both in terms of opponents & the order of the ties. Looks like we will need at least a 2 goal lead to take with us to Malmo, problem is who’s going to score the goals?
We could do with adding some firepower before deadline.
HH!
Always my preference – no hassle with travel, high temperature, or pitch.
Ronny will be ‘clued-up’ – no surprises – straightforward match.
If we are better than them, we’ll go through – no excuses.
I’m sure all at Celtic will be happy and ‘pumped-up’ for the game.
Feel more confident than the Qarabag tie.
I’m positive Ronny and the Bhoys will be up for this. Less of the negativity lads. Come on Celtic !!!!!!
I HEARD HE WAS DEAD on 7TH AUGUST 2015 11:32 AM
Celtic can beat Malmo.
No one is saying they cannot.
The problem is it is going to be a lot tougher than some of the other sides might have been.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/rundown-on-possible-opponents/comment-page-3/#comment-2647252
I wholeheartedly agree. We live here and have a very good idea of what MFF can do: they’re a well-organised side, both in defence and attack.
Their first reaction to drawing us is one of respect. That said, they seemed to prefer meeting us than Basel.
Bigchips
By the best my thinking was the best that the luck of the draw might pair you with.
If we were lucky we might have drawn a less experienced club thus reducing the risk of not qualifying.
In terms of risk the need to play 3 qualifying games is the biggest deterrent to spending what might be needed to remove any risk as far as is possible in a footballing sense.
That pisses me off as it is the vicious circle Celtic find themselves in as a result of losing automatic qualification and more or less consigns us to the second tier EL most seasons.
I think Malmo qualified last year but were regularly horsed and although the CL has that magic attraction for Celtic and we do enhance the tournament as a spectacle, I think I’d prefer to see us compete and play in Europe after Xmas than be cannon fodder for the big spenders.
GARY67 on 7TH AUGUST 2015 11:19 AM
Sorry, I thought we drew Malmo, didn’t realise it was Barca!!!
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/rundown-on-possible-opponents/comment-page-2/#comments
Yep,they are all on.Same ones who were in a panic for the Stjarnen game.”We cant score,they are big boys,,they are great at home”.Who needs the SMSM when we have fans like this.Absolutely pathetic.
Mort on 7th August 2015 9:56 am……….
Thank you for posting that link.
Was very emotional (for me anyway) reading back…….
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
Malmo will be tough worthy opponents, the demolition of Red Bull sends warning signals, but these things happen. I can remember watching Celtic demolish Benefica 3 nil with the help of Kenny Misser only to lose away leg by same margin.
Malmo might never get a result like that again. I see it as a fifty/fifty game but it’s a tie we can win. We are improving all the time with another 3 or 4 games under our belt we should be up to peak condition.
TONYDONNELLY67 on 7TH AUGUST 2015 11:36 AM
Ach ffs, let’s not bother turning up, we won’t beat Malmo, we can’t score, they are bigger than us, they have a fanatic home support, not the draw I wanted, were at home first, honest ti god it beggars belief, never known so many S…. Bags, Malmo? Bring it on, I hope to feck no players come in here today, then again, some of the lurking Huns flashed there drawers there, I saw them.
Lurking Huns GIRFUYs.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/rundown-on-possible-opponents/comment-page-3/#comment-2647292
Agree with every word.Sickens me listening to these pathetic excuse for Celtic fans.
Btw, here’s some shameless advertising of our local bar (Celtic to the core) in Malmö.
The chef and manager are major Tims.
http://www.tripadvisor.se/Restaurant_Review-g189839-d3700121-Reviews-Drumbar_Lilla_Torg-Malmo_Skane_County.html
Awaiting the screams for us to buy a new striker for around £2 million who will make sure we can beat Malmo,who have Jo Bergets,and a guy loaned out to everyone,Djurdic,playing up front for them.I bet VVD ,Boyata,Lustig,and Izzy are quaking in their boots.No use asking Lustig about any of them,he plays for the national team,they dont.
CORKCELT on 7TH AUGUST 2015 11:45 AM
Malmo will be tough worthy opponents, the demolition of Red Bull sends warning signals, but these things happen. I can remember watching Celtic demolish Benefica 3 nil with the help of Kenny Misser only to lose away leg by same margin.
Malmo might never get a result like that again. I see it as a fifty/fifty game but it’s a tie we can win. We are improving all the time with another 3 or 4 games under our belt we should be up to peak condition.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/rundown-on-possible-opponents/comment-page-3/#comment-2647303
We most certainly will win the tie; no doubt about that.
Malmö did beat Red Bull 2-1 last year in the CL: no flash in the pan.
Whens the first game?
Decent draw (2 tougher in Serbia and Israel I think) and don’t agree with the doom and gloom on here.
Their current league form is mediocre, the weather and pitch should be ok and they will be well scouted. The travel will be very manageable and we have another 3 league games before the first leg.
Also two of their top players are suspended for the first leg (striker and captain). We should go through – we will go through – let’s have some Positive Mental Attitude
First leg is on Wed 19th, second leg in Malmo Tuesday 25th (on Malmo feed)
COYBIG
19/8 at CP; 25/8 in Malmö.
Rosenborg and ADu miss the CP game due to cards.
This will weaken them a great deal.
The further we go in this cup the harder it will be, Bring it on I say!!!
If anyone can help the Malmö CSC with tickets for 25/8, we would be eternally grateful, and fill you with copious amounts of drink and Swedish blondes (male).
After we beat Qarabag ,Ronny said that the next round would not be any tougher than Qarabag.
He is not given to making brash statements ,so if Ronny is confident of getting past any of our possible opponents INCLUDING Malmo, let’s have a bit more faith.
Found this wee gem, a stramash, an Iceland guy called Shuggie, and a Philleppi, and yes I was there.
http://youtu.be/A2Bit5cwhAE
… interesting news about the Malmo suspensions. Really puts focus (as it was needed) on trying to kill the tie in the first leg (try telling that to Red Bull, eh).
However, I feel our destiny is more in our hands, than those of our opponents. Soo…
The scoring issue – Currently we don’t score a lot of goals and those we do come from varying departments. Can we realistically see PL and Co shelling out for what could be another dud striker at this particular stage. Aren’t they more likely to hold tight, gambling on getting into the Group stages first?
Suspensions – As far as I know Izzy is our only immediate worry here (anubody know where you can find this info online?). IF he was suspended for the 2nd leg, will RD go for the relative experience of Chas Mulgrew, the young boy Tierney or somebody else?
More questions that answers, I know,
But it certainly beats the agony of deciding whether to take pan loaf or sliced to wave at the new “Messiah” in tonights St Mirren game like some other (ahem) less fortunates have !!
(as it was needed) shoulda read (as if it was needed).
Duh !!
On the we don’t score a lot of goals crap, we don’t let many in either, but let’s not be positive, ohhhh noooo, I’ll say it again, in case they missed it.
Lurking Huns, GIRFUYs.
TD67.
Agree 100% with you, but the fact remains we currently don’t score a lot of goals.
Will Ciftci settle into being a goal machine?
Will RD find the magic formula that turns every game we play into a goal fest?
Will we buy in a “proven / prestige” goal scorer?
Do we need to?
Riosskorrie
You worry to much mate, chill pal, chill, it is what it is, let’s just see how it pans out, unless your a “see a told ya” kinda guy, meaning some day you’ll be right, but not so right now, it’s all good at paradise.
Any way, I’m off to the zoo for a swally,.
Lurking Huns GIRFUYs.
Well Done Celtic.onwards and upwards with Celtic we go :-)))
meantime youz who are not happy cheer up
‘just think of that star among the Black! sums up our meeja. lol :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj84tfS7ag4&index=2&list=RDIIW9sL-Yf6Q
hail hail
Early post for naps tomorrow as away.
Haydock 220 Basateen
Good luck everyone
Lads,
CQN Naps on here today please…
Cheers, fleagle1888
(–Bangalore CSC–)
CQN Saturday Naps Competition
Lads, for those in the CQN Naps competition, Week 1 results are updated here :
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/welcome-to-the-new-look-celtic-quick-news/comment-page-18/#comments
All the best, fleagle1888
(–Bangalore CSC–)
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : WEEK 1 results (Aug 1st)
Bull67 bursts out of the stalls into an early lead by napping Elkaayed @8/1.
Other winners in Week 1 :
Rockon (Balmoral Castle @6/1), Thunder Road (Magical Memory @6/1), hashadenough (Enlace @9/2), The Bhoy from the Village (Lord Franklin @9/2), Eurochamps67 (Ocean Sheridan @11/4), Graffitionthewall (Legatissimo @2/1)
NAPS TABLE :
+8.00 > Bull67 (1)
+6.00 > Rockon (1)
+6.00 > Thunder Road (1)
+4.50 > hashadenough (1)
+4.50 > The Bhoy from the Village (1)
+2.75 > Eurochamps67 (1)
+2.00 > Graffitionthewall (1)
-1 > 16 roads (0)
-1 > 21-5-79 (0)
-1 > Bada Bing (0)
-1 > BMCUWP (0)
-1 > bonbhoy (0)
-1 > Burgas Hoops (0)
-1 > Cathal (0)
-1 > Cosy Corner Bhoy (0)
-1 > Dim Sam (0)
-1 > El Madrigal (0)
-1 > Fastbhoy (0)
-1 > fleagle1888 (0)
-1 > Gallybhoy (0)
-1 > gerryfaethebrig (0)
-1 > green T (0)
-1 > Gweedore Celt (0)
-1 > leftclicktic (0)
-1 > Nye Beavans rebel soldier (0)
-1 > Onemalloy (0)
-1 > PFayr (0)
-1 > Som mes que un club (0)
-1 > TheBarcaMole (0)
-1 > tommytwiststommyturns (0)
-1 > twists n turns (0)
-1 > voguepunter (0)
-1 > What is the Stars (0)
-1 > Zihuatanejo (0)
Cheers, fleagle1888
(–Bangalore CSC–)
ZAND 220 Haydock
Morning all
Polarisation at 3.15pm for me please.
Gl all