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Succulent Champions League draws

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

There were some tasty, some would say succulent, draws in the Champions League yesterday.  Milan-Barcelona have both won the tournament within the last decade, and although Milan are at the bottom of the trough at the moment, this tie will be a huge attraction for those of us who like our football tinged with history.

Real Madrid will travel to Manchester for the second time this season as both teams look to reclaim former European eminence.  Porto-Malaga is not one that sets pulses racing but it is a token of an often-discussed concept at this level.  Malaga are a fine side but are new to the competition, Porto come from a less-illustrious league but are steeped in Champions League heritage.  Do you need to learn how to play in this tournament or were UK TV commentators making excuses for the failure of the English champions? Not sure but I fancy Porto to progress.

Arsenal have the daunting prospect of Bayern Munich.  The German champions are clear at the top of the league which produced three group stage winners.  They are also still self-flagellating after dropping the ball against English opposition in May.  Beating Arsenal will not mend those wounds but it will be an absolute must for Bayern.

I watched a bit of Shakhtar Donetsk during the group stage; they are a very skilful team.  Borussia Dortmund will not enjoy their trip to Ukraine, I expect Shakhtar to progress.

Valencia are not enjoying the best of seasons but although Paris Saint Germain are now top of Ligue 1 I think they are set for a fall in the Champions League.  PSG may have enough to get past Valencia but if we make it to the quarters I would be happy to face them.

Galatasaray sit alongside Celtic as rank outsiders at the bookmakers, never a bad place to lurk at this stage of the competition.  Schalke are tighter odds than Milan (7th in Serie A) and Valencia (11th in La Liga) perhaps because of the ‘kind’ draw.  There will be at least one team in the quarter finals we would fancy our chances with.

The immediate challenge for Neil Lennon is to keep his players’ focus on tomorrow’s game against Ross County.  It took an injury time equaliser to earn a point for Celtic against County earlier in the season, so nothing can be taken for granted.

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  1. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    Never thought I’d be pleased about St Mirren winning any game ……. LOL …I suppose it’s the better of 2 evils

  3. prestonpans bhoys on

    67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors

     

    22:12 on

     

    21 December, 2012

     

    You a Paisley man?

  5. Celtic Mac on

    boab1988

     

     

    Thanks for that! Slade were one of best bands I ever saw live, outdoors in Falkirk, freebie too if I remember rightly. Or maybe there was no perimeter walls in those days! Cant remember who said it back then, but after the Beatles broke up, Slade didn’t sound more like them, but that John Lennon started to sound more like Slade. There was something in that.

  11. prestonpans bhoys on

    petec

     

    22:18 on

     

    21 December, 2012

     

     

    You could always give here a laugh and buy 100 sevco shares that will cost £7.20 :)

  12. Burghbhoy on

    Teuchtar, thanks for all your help in quelling a possible postie revolt in West Lothian.

     

     

    Brilliant chat all day, just read back

     

     

    Hail Hail bro

  15. boab1888 on

    Celtic mac

     

    The first single I bought was Squeze me pleaze me, luved them till punk came along then they brought out run run away in 82 I think loved it too. Noddy Holder one of the best rock voices ever up there with early Rod

  19. Majestic Hartson on

    Dublinbhoy 22:34 last night.

     

     

    Thanks for the info buddy – was worried my request had fallen on deaf ears. I’ll check out the facebook – will need to use the good lady’s though as don’t get in involved in that internet bampottery….

     

     

    Thanks again

     

    Hail hail

  20. Celtic_First on

    Petec

     

     

     

    I don’t really know mhan. I don’t really go for the US-Country take on things, usually. Pace DBBIA.

     

     

    If I was going to buy spiritual music I would probably go back to basics and look at the Monteverdi Vespers, or even cantatas by JS Bach. She might also like Pergolesi and the Stabat Mater. The Church sponsored an awful lot of music as well as art. There is a reason why there is so much art and music that addresses religious themes, and although a big part of that was pragmatism and the equivalent of the Pope’s shilling, every now and then something comes down to us that hits the mark and has lasted the pace, down through centuries, usually because the composer really, really believed in what he was working on.

     

     

    I can’t even remember how we got talking about Mocedades tonight. They remind me of Clannad. There were about six Urangas and five Blancos in the group at different times, but they had a big bridge to build between the modern world, the new Spain, the old Spain, the Basque tradition and the Europe of the latter part of the twentieth century. Nobody else did it. Nobody else could have.

     

     

    BoltonBhoy knows an awful lot more about those days than I do. When I got to Spain in 1980 a lot had already changed.

  22. Gordon64 on

    boab1888

     

    Recall buying ‘Up the Junction’ in pink vinyl.

     

    Looking forward to the Staggies game tomorrow

  23. Celtic Mac on

    boab1888

     

     

    Had the songs too, and Noddy (Holder, for you older readers) could sing rock n roll with the best of them!

  24. Parkheadcumsalford on

    Like “Pange Lingua” but really love “I rise from dreams of time” and “Guardian Angel”, both learned at my mother’s knee. They were sung with gusto at my auntie’s funeral in September. Don’t make them like that anymore.

  26. boab1888 on

    Celtic mac

     

    There was a great documentary on at 9 pm about the bands career if you use I player worth a watch

  30. Celtic_First on

    Parkheadcumsalford

     

     

    I know what you mean, but part of what Mocedades did was to bring Church people along because their music was so good and bring anti-Church people along because their music was so good.

     

     

    This, too, is the work of angels.

  33. boab1888 on

    Celtic mac

     

    Mibees ayes mibees naws the brandy is kicking in with the wine… just nice to know there is a fellow tim enjoying a fine band who bring back many great memories hope you enjoy the show

  36. Burghbhoy on

    Teuchtar…..

     

     

    They buried him in English soil, far from his native land. And the wild waves sing his requiem on the lonely Bannastrand .

     

     

    A fine man , just like your good self comrade!

     

     

    Here’s to Wembelee and world domination!

  37. petec on

    Celtic_First

     

     

    Thank You very much, going Bach to basics, hehe some of us are not as learned as your fine self.

     

     

    Thanks for the recommendations again, I’ll be getting whatever ones I can, listening to them on Youtube and it is exactly the type of music I was hoping you would suggest. My olde Mammy will love listening to any of the ones I can get.

     

     

    HH

  40. boab1888 on

    Gordon mac

     

    I remember

     

    Going to a game I think league cup section tie and my mate who we picked up brought a tape with him it was labelled with love great sonng

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