Champions League Kairat Almaty v Celtic Tuesday August 26th kick off 5:45 Amazon Prime Video

KAIRAT boss Rafael Urazbakhtin reckons Celtic have underestimated his Kazakh champions.

Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side failed to score in the first-leg in Glasgow with the £40million play-off locked at 0-0.


Head coach Urazbakhtin insists just ONE Hoops star is worth more than his entire squad.

And he hit out: “Celtic players may have underestimated us at home.

“Now they will look at our game in a different way.


I think they will have a different motivation and attitude.




Yes, there is a negative atmosphere around Celtic. But I think this is a team of high-level players.

"I think they are used to dealing with such issues.

“They understand that everything depends on them. We also think that everything depends on us.



I don't think there is a bigger pressure on Celtic than on our home team



We will try to meet them and qualify to the group stage.

“And our task is to make it happen, to do everything we can.




Celtic is a top club and it’s a high level team that’s respected.

“Just one player is worth more than our entire squad.




Any Celtic player is a dangerous player for us. We know they have very good players.

“Their attacking players are very dangerousand their midfield is very good.

"I cannot single out any one individual, we should be worried and concerned about every player and the entire squad.

“We won’t be focusing on one particular player.”

No Scottish team has ever won on Kazakh soil.




Celts have lost twice and drawn once.

But Urazbakhtin insists that counts for NOTHING ahead of Tuesday's second-leg crunch clash.

He added: “It many be the history that Scottish teams have come to Kazakhstan in the past and have not won.

“But that is in the past. We cannot look back. Whatever happened in the past happened in the past. This is going to be a different game.

“It’s new players and a new match




“I personally do not pay any attention to those facts because this game will be decided on what happens on the pitch.

"We are totally focused on this game and not what happened in previous matches.

“It is a big match for the whole of the country, the whole of Kazakhstan.

“We will do out best to make our supporters happy.”

Kairat are without 16 year-old wonder kid Dastan Satpayev.





The teenager - set to join Chelsea in a £4million deal - is suspended for the clash.

While No1 goalkeeper Alexander Zarutsky misses out after getting injured in Glasgow.

Urazbakhtin added: “The fact that Dastan cannot play for us is a loss for us. But it gives other players an opportunity.

“We have problems, and the guys who will be absent are a loss for us, but we hope that the guys who will come in will have a chance and an opportunity to prove themselves.

 

And Rodgers hinted Idah could be involved either from the start or from the bench in Tuesday's must-win showdown



He said: "We're pretty much the same as the weekend. Adam has travelled, he wasn't available at the weekend.

"But other than that, pretty much the same. Auston [Trusty] obviously hasn't made it but in the main, the same squad as the weekend."





Japan cap Shin Yamada was given the nod up front against Livi, while sub Johnny Kenny netted late on to seal the three points.



Asked if he has a decision to make over Idah, he said: "Yeah, I think one, just making sure fitness-wise that he's okay.

"But I think availability is what you want as a coach and a manager and that gives you options within the game whether it's to start or change from within."


Rodgers shuffled the pack by making eight changes against Livi - resting big hitters like Kieran Tierney, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate.

And the Hoops boss admitted some top performers have given him something to think about ahead of Tuesday's £40million Champions League showdown.

He said: "I was really pleased with the guys at the weekend who had come in and played. Some of them hadn't played for a little while. I think some of the connections weren't quite there but that's natural.

 

Brendan and Liams press conference from earlier