Celtic could have had it tougher in Champions League qualifier
Braga a tough test but could have been worse
The BBC website is pushing the headline “Celtic get tricky Braga Euro tie” which is fair enough but when you consider they avoided Zenit St Petersburg, Ajax, Dynamo Kiev and a trip to Turkey…it is hardly the worst out of all the ties.
That said, Celtic will still need to be on the ball and any complacency will be punished.
Scottish football fans only have to remember the confidence / arrogance shown by Rangers fans after the Champions League group stages draw last season. “Some pub team from Romania?”…we don’t think we need to discuss where Rangers finished in that group.
For further proof, what about the English at the World Cup. The Sun got the ball rolling with:
England
Algeria
Slovenia
Yanks
The best English group since The Beatles.
Well, we’re still laughing….
So…Celtic need to get their attitude right and the club doesn’t need to look back too far to find times they have let themselves down. Ross County, Clyde, Artmedia, Caley etc etc.
So, what about Braga?
They finished second in the Portuguese league, running Benfica close and finishing ahead of Porto and way ahead of Sporting Lisbon, who Celtic meet in America. This indicates the task that lies ahead of Celtic.
However, Braga will have a new manager in charge and the club have sold their No.1 goalkeeper to Italy.
Hold on…is that Braga or Celtic? They have also made nine signings so far this summer…which is a difference from Celtic!
So…can Neil Lennon get his bhoys beyond the tricky Braga test?
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As I said on the other Champions League draw article this is a really decent draw for Celtic, it could have been a lot worse with Zenit, Fernabache and Ajax being possible opponents. The Away leg first is also a big help and if Celtic can keep it as tight as possible in the first leg then hopefully the Thunder will be back at Celtic Park during the return leg and get Celtic into the next round.
Celtic will probably need a few more recruits over the next week to help get them through this round.
Celtic have lost the following players from the end of last season:
Keane, Boruc, N’Guemo, Kamara, Naylor, Zheng Zhi, Mizuno and Braafheid
and so far have only recruited Mulgrew, Cha Du Ri and Ledley.
Rumours also continue about the departures for McGeady & Samaras and the possibility of Celtic bringing in Sunderland’s Daryl Murphy and the UNAM Pumas’s Efrain Juarez. Nothing signed and sealed with these two as we type.
The signing deadline for the the forthcoming round of the Champions League is the 22nd July.
Got to agree, it could have been worse, and also agree, they qualified by coming close second in Portugal, they aren’t there to make up the numbers.
They’re in the comp because they deserve to be, just the same as everyone else, and deserve the same respect.
Probably the one team you would have hand picked before the draw was made, though not to suggest that they are any mugs though.
The sad thing for the SPL is that this looks like the future for the top two, whatever order they finish in. This qualifier is hard enough, but throw in the next and final round and the teams get even harder. Making qualification to the CL a remote possibility for years to come. The Champions should always have a direct entry, regardless of co-efficient of the country.
What teams await Celtic should they qualify from this round dub? I heard spurs mentioned. That would be a tasty tie and possibly Celtic falling to a North London double in the 3rd round qualifiers two years on the spin
Daryl Murphy has signed for Celtic from Sunderland for £1.5 million according to the BBC. Making him Neil Lennon’s fourth signing of the summer so far.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8826815.stm
I’m sure all the WeKnowPFA websites in Portugal may be saying the same things right now, swapping the names of Braga and Celtic around!
I fear it may still be too soon considering the comings and goings from Celtic Park, but with (hopefully) a full house for the return leg Celtic can at least guarantee participation in the consolation cup again.
I would certainly fancy our chances against Spurs more than I did against the mighty Arse last season.
Keano to return to Celtic Park? Hopefully not in this sense!
Celtic announce the capture of Mexican World Cup star Efrain Juarez on a four year contract as he join’s up with the Celtic Squad in Seattle.
http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_170710150008.aspx