Football : UEFA Champions League
Venue: Hampden Park
Tuesday 2nd October 2013 – Kickoff time 02:45
Match Preview :
Celtic welcome Barcelona to Hampden Park tonight hoping they can repeat their heroics of last season when they managed to beat the Catalan Giants 2-1 in the group stages of the Champions League. That was achieved on November 7 last year with Lionel Messi playing and that result proved to be key in their qualification for the knockout round of the competition.
After their opening defeat to AC Milan ended with a defeat on September 18, Celtic knows it is their home games which will make or break for them if they are to progress further in the Champions League. For the record, the Scottish Champions have won seven of their last nine European fixtures at home, with the one defeat coming in the last-16 clash with Italian side Juventus last season.
Celtic will start this match after winning last weekend beating Kilmarnock 5-2 in their domestic league. That result was good to put them second in the Scottish Premiership. Barcelona, meanwhile, top La Liga with a 100% record since the start of the La Liga.
Barcelona started their Champions League with a 4-0 thrashing of Ajax but it needs to be stated they don't have the best of records in Scotland having managed only two wins and one draw from their six matches played there.
Team News :
Celtic Team News :
Celtic boss Neil Lennon could retain the same side that played against AC Milan in their first match with Anthony Stokes and Georgios Samaras both starting in attack. Scott Brown is also expected to Captain the side from midfield, but Nir Biton and Teemu Pukki are both pushing for spots in the starting eleven for this match.
Barcelona Team News :
The visitors will be without Lionel Messi for this match. The Argentine is expected to miss the next three weeks with a hamstring injury. Defensive pair Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba are also both unavailable, meaning that Adriano and Marc Bartra should keep their place in the back four.
Cesc Fabregas is expected to be operating in the centre of the Barcelona attack with Neymar starting from the left. Alexis Sanchez and Pedro will battle it out for a place on the right for the visitors.
Possible lineups
Celtic: Forster; Matthews, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Mulgrew; Brown, Lustig, Izaguirre; Commons, Samaras, Stokes
Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Bartra, Adriano; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Neymar, Fabregas, Pedro
Prediction:
Go for Celtic and accept the 1 1/4 ball here. I just can't foresee Barcelona winning by two clear goals. They failed to do that last time even with Messi in the side, and now with him not in the side, can they win by two clear goals? I am on Celtic here.
The Statistics :
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