Articles

Celtic’s Europa League Future Will Be Decided On The Russian Front.

|
Image for Celtic’s Europa League Future Will Be Decided On The Russian Front.

Well there you have it. We’re off to St Petersburg, what was once known as Leningrad, where the Russian government was located up until the Revolution. It’s not a trip we wanted to make, but it’s the one we’ve got. It could have been worse.

But really, Russia, in February. I don’t think a repeat of my Munich trip is in the offing here; there’s not a lot of scope for sitting outside in the sunshine in that particular place, at that particular time of the year. Definitely not one for the faint hearted.

On the field, we have the luxury of playing the first game at home. Do well enough and you can almost finish the tie. Go there with a solid lead, score an away goal and you are in good shape. Fail to do the job in the first leg and you’re in bother.

This is winnable. Of course it is. It’s not the straightforward passage we might have got had we been seeded, but this is by no means beyond our ability. They are a good side – that’s an understatement; they are a bloody good side – but there were better teams in that draw. Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Sporting Lisbon, the possibility of a fraught trip to right-wing fascist Lazio … all have been avoided here, which is all to the good.

Last season they finished third in the Russian league. They have a 53,000 stadium, which means we’re going into a cauldron of noise and aggression. That will not phase our players, but because of their home crowd we shouldn’t assume Celtic Park will phase them. Our home record isn’t great of late; this is where we need to put it right.

How big a club are they? Well their manager is Roberto Mancini, that ought to tell you something about the financial weight that underpins them. Andre Villas Boas has also passed through the club. They are owned by Gazprombank, the state owned financial conglomerate who’s parent company, Gazprom, sponsors the Champions League and will be the leading advertiser in the World Cup.

So they are wealthy. Vastly wealthy.

Their team is anchored by a number of Argentine footballers; they will be technically skilled. Their key player is probably Leandro Paredes, 23 years old, signed from Roma this year for around £23 million. Not cheap, and that money bought real quality.

Another player to watch out for is another of their summer signings, Emiliano Rigoni, signed from Independentite. He plays wide or through the middle. These guys will crafty, they will be capable. We’re going to need to be on our toes.

They currently sit third in the Russian league, behind the two huge clubs from Moscow, Spartak and Lokomotiv. Their Russian striker Aleksandr Kokorin is their top scorer in the league with 10 goals. He’s a good player, who has eight goals in eight games in Europe.

Their European results were interesting, if not a little intimidating. They struggled, initially, in the Europa League qualifiers; they beat Israeli side Bnei Yehuda away 2-0 in the first leg of their first one, but they lost the home leg 1-0. They then lost against Utrecht away, by a single goal, before winning 2-0 at home to go through.

But they won their group, which included Rosenborg, with aplomb; 16 points out of 18, with a single game not won, against Rosenborg in Norway. Their run included beating Real Sociedad home and away, quite the achievement.

One major advantage we might have … and it will have to be pressed to the fullest; whilst our winter break lasts a mere fortnight, the Russian one lasts three months. After their next game, which is tonight, they will not play again for three months … when they play us.

They will be rusty, and we will be ready.

So this is the challenge. This is what awaits us.

We can win … but by God it’s going to be tough.

 

Share this article