So as you all will know by now, Swiss team FC Sion are what stand between Celtic and a place in the Europa League group
stage. It won’t be the walkover that it should be for Celtic. I’m still having nightmares about Celtic marginally failing to qualify for the 2002/03 Champions league after crashing out against FC Basel, and remember BSC Young Boys gave Spurs a fright last season.
So what do we know about Celtic’s latest Swiss opposition? Well they’ve won the Swiss Super League twice in their history (1992 and 1997) and have won the Swiss Cup 12 times, their latest triumph being last season. Their multi-purpose stadium the Stade Tourbillon holds a modest 19,600. Former Hearts defender José Gonçalves now plays for them. They were hammered 11-1 on aggregate by Aberdeen in the European Cup-winners’ Cup in 1982. Other than that, I must confess I don’t know much else about the team who finished 4th in their domestic league
last season.
That being said, Celtic should really win this tie. If we can get a competent goalkeeper, another centre back and maybe another striker in before we face them, then I think we’ll be alright, maybe even racking up a decent aggregate score.
There is a bit of personal reason that I hope Celtic batter the Swiss outfit, I absolutely hate Toblerone, ever since I chipped my tooth trying to eat one as a youngster. So here’s hoping that I’m soon looking at the sports pages with a photo of Celtic celebrating with the headline of “Swiss
Bliss”. Although as I said earlier, I think this could be a real uphill task for Celtic, see what I did there? …. Uphill…Mountain…Alps …. Ok I’ll err leave it there for this week I think.
Hail Hail & Keep the Faith.
@dalebhoy
looks easy but as we all know nothing is easy in Europe so treat them with caution don’t do anything silly away or here see if we can get something over there without losing anything then try finish it here and we’re through
HAI HAIL
Good draw for Celtic. Not the easiest match, but it’s one we “should” win and will provide a good test ahead of the group stages.
Was looking through their squad list on Wiki there and noticed a few more familiar names including former Barca midfielder Gabri, so hopefully we’ll not take them too lightly, because they seem decent enough.
Oh, and lay off Toblerone! It’s awesome!
It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances that we can’t take any club as a gimmie now as we have reached that low that now any Scottish Club qualifying for the Zooropa League group stages is to be celebrated.
With Monday being the deadline, we have to ask ourselves if the quality was there surely we would have signed it by now?
I’ll predict a loan deal for Double F only by Monday….
No tie is easy, it’s cliche that is well worn and will be well worn from now until the tie. Remember Basel? Aye, that produced that iconic MON moment when he slumped to the ground after Big Sutty had curled that one just round the post.
I was producing the same reaction in my living room..
White Toberlones are the dogs bollocks though…
If we play as well as we can we have a good chance of qualifying, no games are easy, lots of strong, pacy and organised teams in scandinavia and we will have to show them respect.
Mon The Hoops.
I like the Spurs parallel. They got a rude awakening that night and, consequently, thumped them in the second leg. Never underestimate European opposition. Basel, Artemedia, Utrecht. We did exactly that. If we do nothing else in Europe, we have to stamp our authority on teams we should be hammering. Never had a Toblerone, was more of a Yorkie fan myself (when it was a decent size and wrapped in silver foil on the inside). Animal bar, Dolly Mixtures, Curly Wurly. The Ice-cream van. “Haw, gie us a 10p mix”
So, what are we going to do about a keeper ? I think Zaluska is actually a good goalie but his confidence has been absolutely decimated. I only saw 45 mins of Pletikosa (so, admittedly, my opinion is not that informed). I didn’t think he was any better and his positioning for that free kick was abysmal. I would be interested to hear from those that saw a bit more of him. In my mind a prerequisite to be signed by Celtic should not fall into the category “well he might be marginally better than what we have and it gives us another option”
I didn’t think he was at fault for that goal. He set up his wall and the wall failed him. Zulaska did well yesterday or is it just me accepting that he is it as they can’t be thinking of the younger pole we are linked with as the number 1?
The Zooropa. The switch in legs does us no favours.