Celtic v Benfica - Wednesday 7.45pm on Sky Sports 3

Benfica are a club we should aspire to be like in the next decade.

I would just like to hear peoples opinions on how we could mirror our tansition with a club like benfica, they seemingly sell players for millions each season , which i believe is quite incredible like their rivals porto and sporting they are probably some of the best run clubs in europe. I feel there are some similarities portugals ligue 1 is in the shadow of the neighbouring la liga which dwarfes ligues finances much like our own situation with epl, but portugese clubs use their league as a showcase and sell many home grown players on for vast profits . Also benfica won the european cup in the same decade as ourselves but have fallen short since but i personally believe we can compete as they do in years to come , playing attractive, technical football and beat the best teams in europe season in season out.

Also do people feel we are as big or bigger than benfica on a global scale.

 

Thought all the players Benfica are missing would give us an advantage... then I remembered all our injuries! FFS!! :smiley-laughing002:

 

Yeah he his a good player. Great shoting! But it´s not easy to take Aimar out if he isn´t injured.....he is still our best player!

Now without Witsel, Martins will have more games but i dont believe he will play much if Aimar keeps playing his game

 

Aye, he's no Pablo Aimar.

 

I haven't been this excited for a game in ages. Hope the place'll be rocking.

 

what do you think your starting line up will be tomorrow?

 

The hardest thing about emulating Benfica is like Hammer says the young Brazilians that go to them for penny's and sold for millions, Most Brazilians hold Portuguese passports meaning they can pick up young talent with no visa issues, for most other European clubs there is far to much red tape in bringing such players to our club.

 

Can't wait for tomorrow

 

Surely this line makes the issue redundant as Portugal are part of the EU and therefore anyone with a Portuguese passport can play anywhere in Europe?

 

Are Benfica not always top in the reports due to some membership scheme ?

I think officially they have one of the biggest supports worldwide,i could be wrong,but i think they have the most members.

 

Everywhere up the port is up a hill lol (cracking views mind u)

Is Ledley defo out aswell as Sammy an kayal?

 

I am so so jealous of everyone going to the game tomorrow.. what I would give to be there man :smiley-laughing002:

 

Hotels are boring as * man. Proper excited for tomorrow. No doubt won't sleep. Certainly couldn't on the plane!

 

Get pished


It's what hotels are for.

 

If my local 'Celtic' pub rolleyes: It's a bit of a shithole that show the Celtic games whenever theyre on) isn't full enough with tims tomorrow I'll be raging. There was only about 4 there for the second leg against Helsingborgs.

 

Hope you enjoy it,is this ur first euro home game? Atmosphere should be as good as any of the previous champ league games, the uefa cup games werent as good imo especially the mogga era.

Where's everyone sitting,iam 116 tens row up,the Barca game will be good there i know a few people in the away end will be good banter

 

Not sure on Gaitan....Gaitan or Enzo Perez, one of them.

 

Aimar, Rodrigo, Cardazo....

Big, big test. Cardazo and Aimar are better than anything we have. An on form Gaiten as well...

The rest is eachy peachy.

 

all out... can still win this if the fans lift the roof..!