Celtic in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25

We are at home to Young Boys next who are the worst team in the format this year. If we want to qualify we need to win this game which will put us to 12 points which is enough. Villa away is a free hit imho so hopefully they have already qualified by then and rest some players to focus on the Prem as their schedule is as hectic as ours.

 

I think we are going to have to play better than we have been to get the win against YB even at home and given their record so far. Zagreb were a pretty poor team given their injuries and we struggled to create against them, Rangers are a poor team and have twice taken 3 goals of us in the last few weeks. I do think we need to try find a little extra again in order to peak for that game.

To me given our league position and the high probability we win the league the YB game is the most important one we have coming up. A win shows actual tangible progress to reach the second stage of the competition not to mention between prize money for the game €2.1m, the fact it will increase our final table position, the €1m Euros bonus for reaching the playoffs and another £3m in ticket sales from the home leg of the play off game, it is worth in the realms of £6-7m for the club.

I know we have plenty of money in the bank but that’s the equivalent of a good player at our level and we feel like we are approaching the end of a cycle with some of this team at the moment.

 

Got a couple of weeks to get our head back in the game and I think we will.
Been a virus floating about, we've played about 10 games in 30 days.
We've gotten through the festive chaos and think our focus will shift and get a couple of days rest in prep for young boys.

 

Just need to make sure we’re on the players backs from minute 5 if we see any back passes

 

We’ve beaten 2nd bottom and 3rd bottom so far and next match is against bottom club.
Hope we destroy them

 

Is there any plans for a CalMac tribute against Villa because if he plays all the other marches between now and then he will make his 500th Celtic appearance against Villa and will be only the 19th player in Celts history to achieve that feat.
He could actually catch Broony in appearances if he is here for another 2 seasons

 

A win?

 

YBs won 4-1 the other day against some Romanian team and have a double game day on Saturday. First against Hannover and then against Ludogrets. Then back to a league game then us. Keep me eyes in the results.

 

I am cautiously optimistic. Not seen any of Young Boys other than when they played Aston Villa and they weren’t as bad as the scoreline suggests.
Just hope it is not a repeat of the Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb performances s those two were also massive missed opportunities. Easily could’ve (should’ve) taken 6 pts from those two games.

Also before Aston Villa play us they are away to Monaco. If they lose that then they are out of the top 8 and that changes everything. I wouldn’t be afraid of a full strength Aston Villa though.

 

Hope so.

 

Zagreb was a missed opportunity..

Club Brugge were impressive as * and arguably should've taken all 3 points..

 

YBs lost both their friendlies today 2-1 & 1-0..
Think they have a league game then us.
4-0 I'm going for.

 

I am going for us to win 5-1. If I am wrong 6-1

 

It's the champions league... absoloute no chance. We can't even put that past most of our league. I'd be more than happy with any sort of win.

 

That's because 10 teams in the league have played us a million times and have parking the bus against us down to a fine art. YB are a big fish in their domestic scene, even if they want to park the bus what's the bets it's doesn't come natural to them

 

Hopefully we win 9-0 but realistically, they are in the champions league and we have no right to think we should be beating anyone by 6 goals. Id obviously Randy marsh it if we do.

 

This will be a cup final for us, the nerves will be jangling on and off the park.
Atmosphere (unless we score early) will be subdued and twitchy.
This is a MAJOR test for us given the off the charts expectation - I just don't get all the 5-1, 6-1 arrogance here - based on what? our magnificent UCL record in recent years?? Eh, naw.
Some thought Brugge would be easy, Zagreb with all injuries too - that turned out well.
The only wins we have are against teams right at bottom of table with zero points.

We are going to have to be very patient and any kind of scraped 1-0 win will be very hard earned and will do just fine.

 

Any win, we've gotten ourselves into an excellent position.. and there comes the pressure.. with YB nothing really to play for..

 

Exactly this. We all seen the dangers of a side with no pressure and nothing to play for at the start of the month. All the pressure for this game is on us, it’s a free hit for YB.