The winners of Celtic-Cluj will face Slavia Prague in the final Champions League qualification round later this month. Slavia reached the Europa League quarterfinals last season, eliminating Sevilla – who practically own that trophy – on the way.
They also disposed of Bordeaux and Genk before losing to eventual winners, Chelsea. Dinamo Kiev knocked them out in Champions League qualification.
Although this will be Slavia’s first Champions League qualifier, they have played four domestic league games already, so are likely to be as fit as Celtic, should the sides meet in two weeks.
Two central defenders at the heart of that Europa League run were sold this summer (both heading to Belgium), with much of the money (€4m) going on a creative mid Romanian, Nicolae Stanciu (26), brought home from Saudi – a significant investment for a Romanian club.
Two years ago Slavia were knocked out at the qualification stage by Apoel Nicosia (another team we could have been drawn against today), while Anderlecht eliminated them from the Europa qualifiers three years ago. Viktoria Plzen, who finished runners up to Slavia in May, reached the Champions League group stage last season, where they finished behind Real Madrid and Roma, but above CSKA Moscow.
Slavia and Plzen showed enough last season to indicate that Czech clubs are dangerous, but this is the playoff round and we were always going to need to work for it.
Cluj first: no injuries, no suspensions, please.
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Ruggyman @ 5.21
Aye too right , respect for any moniker whether its upper, lower, slam in the middle or just outside Burnside, cordiality © Paul67, is all that’s required.
Especially, when your best insults are restricted to snobbist, ageist, and the ‘deplorable’ bingoist 👍
Give or take, there will be a high proportion of posts on CQN that maybe fall below the grade of serving worthwhile purpose. excellent reply ✅
HOT SMOKED on 5TH AUGUST 2019 4:38 PM
Ron67
Obviously it is my opinion. Why do you ask?
just checking
Huns statement shredded by Killie as lies.
Whatever next.
If the vermin were ‘worried about fan safety ‘,why did they take any tickets? Absolute bull$#!t…
Philbhoy,
Where are you getting that from?
SFTB
Is HFW a Tim?
HH jg
Jamesgang
Well he did vote for the greens 😉
RUGGYGMAN
Criticising anybody on the basis of their age is one of the stupidest things I have ever read on here. We are all, yourself included, getting older at exactly the same rate. Those older than you just started earlier. I have never found age to be a reliable indicator to anyone’s ability at anything. Ridiculous comment imo.
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Celtic were excellent on Saturday, to score 7 goals without reply is no mean feat. I’m also a big believer in you can only beat what’s put in front of you.
However I still feel caution is the best approach, this is a St Johnstone team who had 3 defeats in 4 games including defeats against Ross County, Forfar and Montrose.
Defeats to Forfar and Montrose do suggest they are not in a good place atm.
The huns are obviously trying to wriggle out of paying Killie any damages
BBC Shortbread don’t mention the huns carnage, no surprise
Bada
Maybe the SFA will step in and run football properly?
BSR
I’m having a maguro tuna tetaki salad for brunch tomorow
can I pop round for some Chrysanthemum flowers
they just liven up what is otherwise a boring plate of food.
And I’m fae Cambuslang
Shortbread in blame Killie mode,Jabba’s blackmail tactics…
why in this age of stringent health and safety are fans not made to sit down in the stands , unless the clubs concerned have installed safe standing areas at considerable expense for fans to stand.
BSR- No chance of the authorities doing anything against the huns
Well just seen the killie women on BBC, well done her, a clear gtf to the huns
WDH
Upper Cums’lang or Lower Cums’lang?
Not surprised by your excellent choice of brunch, my chrysanths, are long eaten, but
my orange lillies are somewhat sadly still in full bloom during the marching season, here
in snob city.
Tataki Tims CSC
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 5TH AUGUST 2019 6:21 PM
Thought that was ‘banter’ between pals, had another look and – Yes mate – you are spot on, very poor.
‘ Gers commended for highlighting Health and Safety issues at Kilmarnock ‘
Daily Rancid
I can vouch that BSR is a fresh faced energetic man with a fine head of hair. If someone is trying to retire BSR to caring for flowers God knows what they have in mind for me,
Anyway thank God we are in the final couple of days of the KT saga whichever way it plays out, I most certainly want him to stay but if he goes, I wish him every success and all the good luck in the world.
All players from King Billy, Jinky, Henrik , Brooney,KT are just passing through, some stay longer than others but in the end they all go, even lifers like Paul McStay . Celtic is the constant, it’s our Love it’s our Cause and that is what we need to focus on.
I know Pedro gets a bad press and it’s trendy to slag him, however under his stewardship we have been highly successful both on & off the field. I firmly believe he is a Celtic Fan & I think he does a good job.
I would find it hard to justify his salary or the salaries of Chief Executives generally but that unfortunately is the world we live in.
Do I agree with everything he & the Board say or do, certainly not but equally I don’t believe he is the devil incarnate that some make him out to be.
I think we are in a very good place at the moment and I look forward to the season with relish.
BBC Scotland trying to blame Killie
STATEMENT O’CLOCK…
Club 1872 Statement on Kilmarnock FC Safety Issues
5 August, 2019
Club 1872 has received multiple eye witness reports from supporters trapped outside Rugby Park prior to, and following, kickoff in yesterday’s Kilmarnock vs Rangers game. These reports describe crushing, supporters fainting and actions from both stewards and police that made the situation worse.
We note the comments of Kilmarnock director, Phyllis McLeish who has claimed that the unsafe situation outside the ground was the result of searches and fans’ impatience. Ms McLeish’s comments are simply not true and appear to be a deliberate attempt to shift the blame for the breakdown of Kilmarnock’s new ticketing system. We have reports of fans waiting up to 45 mins to enter the ground. The delays were a direct result of this new ticketing system, which failed and put Rangers supporters in danger.
We are aware of a video which appears to show Rangers supporters opening an access gate in response to pleas from supporters further back in the crowd. This has been characterised negatively by various media outlets including the Daily Record and BBC Scotland journalists. Having watched and listened to the video in question, there is genuine concern from distressed supporters that there is a dangerous situation building up in the crowd and that this gate should be opened to relieve pressure. This concern matches the eye witness accounts, from those further back in the crowd, which we have described above. The situation would never have arisen if the ticketing entry system at Rugby Park had been working properly.
As usual, there has been a rush from certain elements of the press to blame Rangers supporters for this incident. We would remind them, Ms McLeish and others that it is the responsibility of Kilmarnock FC and their directors to ensure that visiting supporters are safe. It is quite clear that the ticketing entry arrangements were not fit for purpose and that this created an unnecessary situation at the turnstiles which placed Rangers supporters in danger.
We will be submitting the reports we have received to Rangers and urging them to ensure that Kilmarnock FC and their directors make proper arrangements in future and that they are held to account for the shambolic and unsafe situation prior to kickoff. It was Kilmarnock FC’s responsibility to make suitable safety and ticketing arrangements – it is absolutely clear they did not.
We will liaise with Rangers on this and on events inside the ground and work with them to ensure that Kilmarnock properly address these safety issues ahead of any future visits to Rugby Park.
Issued by Supporters Voice Limited, a Club 1872 company
NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT FROM ME 😵🤪
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What other ‘club’ in the world makes a statement before the investigation has taken?
place
BSR
in between
off oot
BSR
The statement is from the Supporters group
HH
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RUGGYGMAN on 5TH AUGUST 2019 4:21 PM
BSR
Your upper-burnside snobbery is rip’in oot yae.
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Ya bassa Ruggyman….I used to stay in ole Burnside and no one ever called me a snob….can’t think why.
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 5TH AUGUST 2019 7:06 PM
STATEMENT O’CLOCK…
Club 1872 Statement on Kilmarnock FC Safety Issues
5 August, 2019
Club 1872 has received multiple eye witness reports from supporters trapped outside Rugby Park prior to, and following, kickoff in yesterday’s Kilmarnock vs Rangers game. These reports describe crushing, supporters fainting ……
Beached whales immediately spring to mind….up thems!
Trapped outside ????insane
Hunderbirds Are Gone……….you’re correct about this age thing with the advances in modern sports medicine athletes can now prosper well into their thirties. The final in the mens singles in Wimbeldon this year lasted over a record five hours with both players well into their thirties similarly in the women’s final. It’s all about attitude and fitness.
On a different subject regarding the Cluj match I’d be concerned about the dark arts in this part of Europe and be hopeful we get a fair minded referee. The team is in rude good health at the moment fit and sharp and banging in the goals.
Now we’re hearing that Rodgers is thinking of bringing young Ajer to Leicester. Jozo to Lille and KT to Arsenal? Is the team about to go into meltdown? Hope Lenny doesn’t say enough and walk out.
IF we Qualify for the champions league….which we will know in about 3 weeks time..or sadly before that.
About 50/50 at best.
I would like to see us make a serious play for Wayne Rooney.
He is being touted as in talks with Derby today.
I know its against our usual transfer policy but I think he would be perfect for us and a swansong for him.
I would also make a dab that he might fancy playing for us.
Any thoughts?
The easy answer is to ban Sevco fans from visiting other grounds.
It really is that simple.
Ruggygman-you have to realise that appearing to be a ‘good celtic man’on here gets you ample room
to say anything (within reason)to any other poster😉
Keep up man😉
Bateen,
Killie are a well run club and survived many non blue pound years while they started the new club in the lower leagues. Simply give them 800 tickets like Ibrox gives away support. Problem solved and they’ll go mental too😂😁😱
Fine head of hair
What is very noticeable from that 1872 statement is a complete absence of any apportioning of blame to supporters for the damage caused, pitch invasion, injury to fans and opening of fire exit doors.
If you didn’t know better you’d think the statement was a Level Five production and merely disguised as a Supporters Voice Limited response.
When the Newco official Newco response emerges then…oh wait …here it is.
“R*****s FC admit our fans are thugs, drunks & ne’er-do-wells who arrived late to the Rugby Park ground in a drunken state, refused to be searched and thus caused delays to fellow supporters gaining entry to the ground in a timely manner. They refused to sit in seats provided for them, damaged many of them and indulged in the obligatory trashing of toilets. They sang sectarian tunes throughout the game and lost any sense of supporter decorum by invading the field of play, while damaging property and injuring some of their fellow fans in the disabled section.”
I think the Klan should be asking the names of the stewards and Polis that put their 10,000 quiet wee sheepish, law abiding support at risk by not letting them into the stand that holds 3000 yesterday whether they had tickets or not. After all God not letting them could have had serious consequences…….
Morons the lot of them, and that’s the fans, stewards, polis and wee cheating Gollum.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
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Any lurking Huns GIRFUY
HH
D. :)