After two highly productive performances against Barcelona confidence will be high, but it is worth remembering that Benfica earned a 0-0 draw at Celtic Park on Champions League match day one, and will have no fears for Tuesday.
After that game in September Celtic were favourites to finish bottom of the group. Barca managed a slim 3-2 at home to Spartak after a late surge, placing them top of the group while the Russians were rightly encouraged. Benfica earned a valuable away point without being greatly troubled by Celtic. Indeed, the half time video analysis from the Uefa technicians looped repeatedly on one incident, a Benfica penalty claim.
That scenario has changed. Celtic sit second top but a win would see Benfica match them on points and go second on the head-to-head. Make no mistake, despite Celtic’s heroics against Barcelona, Benfica expect to be second in the group on Tuesday evening. They are rightly favourites.
We are now tantalisingly close to the knock out stages of the Champions League but two of the most difficult games of the season lie ahead. The best thing Celtic can do is show Benfica as much respect as they showed Barcelona. Benfica are not quite as dangerous as the Catalans but they are more than capable of exploiting any gaps in the Celtic defence. Treat them as Barcelona-lite and we might even collect our second win in this tournament away from home.
The Andrea Kearney Fund have a signed Celtic jersey available for auction on eBay. The fund, in memory of Andrea, assists families of women who are diagnosed with cancer while pregnant. Since Andrea died, aged 41, four years ago, over 50 families have been helped.
You can keep an eye on the auction here.
The CQN Annual will be available next week, both online and at one or two selected retail outlets. There’s a cracking image on the cover of a goal celebration from a recent goal….
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Kilbowie Kelt – In my defense it was just a bit of humor. (thumbsup)
Superb news about Tony Watt.
Delighted we have got Tony signed up
The ole Hairy Cornflake DLT has been huckled.
Dad, what was a hunskelper?
Good to see young Tony signed up, no sure about a Benfica article before we meet Aberdeen, one game at a time and all focus on the next game.
We’ll be cursing players who look distracted or put in a bad display blaming their concentration, meanwhile the interweb is concentrating on pie in the sky dreams of glory.
In lounge at Heathrow and got talking to a ‘Bluenose’ his words not mine, very nice guy. Cambell Fitch used to play for St.Mirrem
After the Sion debacle last year, the Europa campaign that we had last year in a tough group gave the our bhoys a belief in their ability.
We have kicked on from there this season in the CL and the team has grown in stature will know exactly what to do in the remaining two games.
What we don’t seem to be able to do (yet) is manage switching from domestic to European games.
It’s not a big concern for the moment but unless it’s addressed it could become a handicap.
Hope to see us get 3 points on Saturday.
oh, and great news about young Tony
;o)
South of Tunis
Benfica have a cup tie on SUNDAY night!!!
Astonishing.
I’ll be very interested to see the team they put out.
Who are they playing and is it home or away, please?
Sot
Sorry, you did say away!
So would any of the legal (non-Benfica) eagles know if Mr. Green’s latest wheeze is a plausible attempt to shut the bampots up so he has enough time to effect an IPO?
I.E., maybe the interdict has not much hope, if any, of permanent success.
BUT, as this is a newish, untestedish area of existing law – interdicting football fan sites – is it possible that this fact alone may force the judge or whoevs, to issue a temporary interdict for x weeks to allow all the parties to prepare for a potentially precedent-setting hearing?
Just thinking out loud here…?
Tony Watt signs a new contract
KevJungle bemoans the fact we are handing out such long contracts to 18 year olds.
“keeps them on their toes knowing they are out the door in 6 months you know”
IblamepeterLawellCSC.
A great signing is young Tony!
Well done to Tony and the club and his agent.
He now gives the other youngsters there, a bench mark, something to aim for.
Could have a real positive knock on effect for us.
I think Hooper would have signed by now, can see him being punted and Stokes getting a new contract.
Celtic should have tied Tony up on and Auld jim Mclean type contract.
Is there no prospect us……winning the group
Good news Tony signed a new contract
Lets beat Aberdeen before even thinking about Benfica !
One of my best friend’s son in paper today. Young Conor has a life shortening disease, he is set to take centre stage at Scottish music awards on Saturday. Next time you are at Celtic Park, say hello to him, he goes to every home game & sits at the disabled section on North stand.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/teen-hospice-kids-excited-at-prospect-1436249
Paul67 et al
Not often I follow philvisreturns train of thought but he could be onto something there.
Hope for Celtic’s sake ol Granpa Broon isn’t looking in today!
Philbhoy –
Moreirense
Sounds like Benefica’s first team has the weekend off.
SoT,
You sure it’s Sunday that Benfica play Moreirense? Benfica’s website says this Friday.
From what I can see Moreirense are pretty much the Ross County of Portugese fitba.
Tony Watt @tonywatt32
Glad to sign a new deal with the best club in the world! Couldn’t be happier
Retweeted by Celtic Football Club
Great news on Tony Watt, what a great boost before we shear the sheep..
On a Busy Day, Another Correction
People are very excited by a bog post repeated on various Rangers supporting message boards “revealing” that RTC, the blogger behind the Rangers Tax Case blog is actually someone who honoured me by asking me to do him the service of being his best man a few years ago.
It is not.
The statement is wrong.
However that has not stopped a deluge of vitriolic and entirely unfounded comment being directed towards the man in question.
Maybe this post won’t stop people doing it, but I would like to think it would.
I do not want to see a man who I am proud to have as a friend deluged in this rubbish, through no fault of his own.
Posted by Paul McConville
Dunno about anybody else, but if the guy wrongly named as RTC by @ChrisGraham76 wanted to take legal action, I’d chip in to help cover costs
Find it incredible that @STVNews regularly have a dangerous hate-fuelled bigot like @ChrisGraham76 on so regularly
Philbhoy
Scrub that .
Game was scheduled for Sunday night but has been re-scheduled for tomorrow night .
Good to see the Portugese FA doing everything to help their team in Europe’s premier club competition.
Hello, SFA blazers are you listening?
Great news about young Tony
When the CL fixtures came out I thought at this stage we would be on a max 3 points ( beat Benfica at CP). We are 4 points better than that which is amazing. Looking forward to next Tuesday with optimism and fear in equal measures.
This will be a different game than the Barca ones and I expect them to try and stretch us on the wing and get to the byline – also I expect they will be more direct.
But Aberdeen first – game face on
Philbhoy
Scrub that .
Game was scheduled for Sunday night but has been re-scheduled for tomorrow night .
———————————————————————
None of their players on international duty then??
good afternoon cqn
I wonder if all of you could remember a young 23 year old Celtic fan who was cremated yesteday he died of complications due to Cistic Fibroses.
He died on the day of the Barcelona game,and my sons girlfriend and him had been friends since childhood,so upset by the news of his death
That due to that i got her ticket for the game at short notice.
His name was Paul Milne,his story is in tonights Evening Times
He seemingly travelled to games abroad to see his beloved Celtic,Really tragic.
H H
Italy Under 21 1 —– Spain Under 21 3 .
Rodrigo scored Spain’s opening goal .
He was substituted after 55 minutes.
WT
Prayers said for young Paul.
WT -condolences,really sad at such a young age.
If we play Benfica the exact same way we played Barca then we will win, absolutely no doubt.
Benfica at home will be a very difficult game. But that’s what we thought about Moscow, and it’s certainly what we thought about Barcelona. I trust Lenny and his staff will have done their homework on Benfica. So lets just enjoy the game and the possibility of reaching the knock-out stages.
Celtic are 200-1 to win the competition, I’ve stuck a tenner on it!
Tony Watt signing is great news. Lets see who follows suit. Victor next please, to settle the nerves.
Hi Philvis. Only just got back in. A great day indeed, particularly since I backed Captain Ramius ante post at 33/1 for the Ayr Gold Cup
.
“More tea anyone? No? Very well then you may return to your poshts.”
Things you learn on that there twitter.
“There’s an anti-RFC underclass trying to undermine an IPO.”
Apparently.
Nae originality, sevconians.
Always copying others.
Lamely.
Battle Shtations !
Red October CSC
Rioskorrie
14:25 on 15 November, 2012
It is rescheduled for Friday – See http://www.soccerway.com.