Celtic v Maribor - Official Match Thread (UCL qualifier, 20th Aug, 19:45 SS5)

Let's get * into them!

 

Buzzing out of my mind for this. I'm sure we get a wee taster of this beauty in this round:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf9LUNB-JsM[/ame]

 

For me:

Gordon

Lustig Denayer Virgil Izzaguirre

Kayal Johansen Mulgrew

McGregor Commons

Berget

Nice wee stadium - compact, only 13000

 

A beige person.

For being beige.

 

Dosent matter what happens with Celtic I just cant be unoptimistic about anything we do, buzzin already, and *!

 

Im going to be realistic for a change. Give me a score draw but I would even accept a 2-1 defeat then beat them 1 or 2 nil at Celtic Park. COYBIG!!!!

 

* wanks, probably as racist as this cat

 

:smiley-laughing002::icon_mrgreen:

 

Anyone think there might be an element of surprise in the formation/line up?

 

Going for a 2-0 win for us

Berget and Van Dijk to score

 

Ronny to play himself up front?

 

I'm nightshift tomorrow night so I'm not going to catch all of this game, going to try and steal a shot of a friends ipad for the second half. Could watch it on my phone but I want a decent sized screen to enjoy it on lol.

 

Indeed, the south stand is partially closed for this match due to the decision by Uefa, for "racist behaviour" on a match against Zrinjski in the second qualifying round. The capacity is thus limited for the Celtic fixture at 11.424 seats.

I would like to stress out a few things however. In my two+ decades of following this club, home and abroad, I dont recall a single incident where Maribor fans would abuse the opposing team or its players or their fans on the base of race or religion.

Maribor's captain and the most popular player among the fans is Tavares. I would even dare to say that he is likely the most popular player ever since the club's inception in 1960. The immense popularity of Tavares can be seen on a few pics from the link below and all of them are from the southern/ultras stand:
http://shrani.najdi.si/?27/4s/tDs75cA/3/tavares4.jpg

If you havent figured it out by now, Tavares is black. Just like three other players in the squad (Mendy, N'diaye and Sallallich - the latter being an Israeli national and is of jewish faith). There are also several muslims in the squad, eastern orthodox christians, catholics etc. It doesnt even matter as no one cares.

When Uefa annouced (on matchday of the second leg between Maribor and Maccabi) that there was a problem with "racist behaviour" in the previous round (on a home - second leg - match against Bosnian Zrinjski) everyone was actually surprised and no one really knew what was that about (all of Zrinjski players and staff were/are Caucasian). It turned out that an Uefa delegate from England, who covered Maribor-Zrinjski, saw a small banner on the south stand with a logo that contained a celtic cross in the background. The funny thing is that this logo is in use on Maribor's games in domestic and international competitions since early 1990s and has been present on almost every (if not every) Uefa match the club has played in (on CL and EL group stage matches and everything). It was also in use in the first leg in Bosnia (the "o" on the large banner and again on a smaller banner - second from the right -> this smaller one was present on the second leg Maribor-Zrinjski match): http://www.abcportal.info/Slike/0x0/viole-maribor-071514.jpg

Why no one from Uefa found the logo problematic on all of those matches and why is it problematic now is beyond me. The logo was never discussed as problematic by the Football Association of Slovenia either (still isnt) or the club itself. Here is the gallery from all the matches (all seasons) in Uefa and domestic competitions and basically on every pic of the south stand you will be able to see the logo: http://galerija.violemaribor.com/index.php?cat=6

The logo in question is the third one on this pic: http://www.rtvslo.si/_up/photos/2008/10/19/u56133-64371_viole-vse_show.jpg

Feel what you want about it but all I know is that the group that supports the club from the southern stand is apolitical, has never had problems with racial abuse and is made up from fans with all kind of national/ethnic background (Slovenes, Serbs, Croats, Albanians, Roma..) and religions. I dont really care about the logo itself and the way it looks but this whole thing is * bs.

 

I like Stokes but I wouldn't play him in this.

I don't think he works hard enough anymore. Used to see him sprinting by Hooper chasing the opposition back 4 down but it's been a while since I seen it.

Would go for Commons or Berget up front I think.

Gordon

Lustig Denayer VVD Izaguirre

Ambrose

Johansen Mulgrew

Commons..........................McGregor

Berget
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A bit too defensive, biton for ambrose and a striker in place of berget would be more than enough to keep it tight

 

My personal view is that Maribor had a very big say in the liquidation of RFC (RIP)..

I really think we can progress and hope that the return leg is a happy affair with us going through and Maribor fans welcomed to paradise.

I think if we play to our potential we will go through... but another 'leiga' type performance will see us get our arses severely kicked.

To any bhoys travelling... best wishes and hope the team do you proud, i know you will do your part from the sidelines.

 

I'd say Malmo had the biggest say, out of any club who beat them in Europe.

 

Awk Oisín gone * up mate x

 

Gordon
 Lustig
   Denayer
    van Dijk
     Izaguirre
      Mulgrew
       Johansen
        McGregor
         Berget
          Commons
           Stokes

 

Gordon

Lustig, Denayer, VVD, Mulgrew, Izaguirre

Kayal, Biton, Johansen

McGregor

Stokes

* difficult seeing us past this, but we must keep calm, rigid, and take our opportunities.
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