Champs League Group, All Chat In Here.

Just managed to get on. Fantastic effort from the lads. Shame for the heartbreak at the end.

 

Celtic have the youngest average aged squad in the Champions League, no outfield players over 30 and they matched the best team in the world for 90 mins.

 

Things are looking good.

And we're the first team in 2012 to stop Lionel Messi from getting a goal or an assist so we can take something from that. :smiley-laughing002:

 

Very exciting times.

 

Barca 9
Celtic 4
Spartak 3
Benfica 1


So if Barca beat Spartak and Benifca, and we beat Spartak, we are through to the last 16 no matter if Moscow beat Benfica?

 

Ideally we want Spartak to take atleast a point in Benfica. That would mean realistically we only need to win the home game against Spartak to qualify as neither Spartak or Benfica will beat Barcelona.

 

Need 4 points from the last 3 games i reckon. A draw and a win, 5 points i think would guarantee it but thats means getting something off barca at home which will still be a tall order.

I can definitely see us getting something away in Lisbon, they are in no great shakes at the moment either defensively or offensively.

Crunch match is at home to Spartak, we have to remember Spartak have the opposite of what we used to have being that they are usually bad at home but very good away from home so we cannot expect 3 points when they come to parkhead.

They will set up to counter attack us and they definitely have the pace to do it.

 

I think the last 2 games will have given us the confidence to reach the last 16. What's so impressive for me is how young and inexperienced in the CL these players are.

If we managed to nick a point at home at barca it would set us up nicely for the next two games.

 

8 is the magic number, I think its a guarantee to go through if barca win all their games.

 

I don't know if I set my expectations too low this season but I was chuffed just to qualify for the group stages. Once we qualified, I was just hoping to put in a decent showing in the group. Now that we've put in a good showing and we're actually in a good position to make it out of the group I'm * delighted. I don't want to be a negative * but I hope that people will be able to remember what expectations were at the start of this season should we come up short these next three games. The bhoys have done us proud so far and I'm confident this level of performance will continue.

 

If Barca win all their games then we could get through with less than 4 points.

If Spartak beat Benfica, we only need to win against Spartak at home.

If Spartak draw or lose to Benfica then we need to get a draw in Benfica and a draw at home to Spartak to see ourselves through.

I think we have a great chance either way, but I would probably rather another Spartak win.

 

I think we'll get 7 points from our remaining games. Beating Benfica way, Spartak at home and drawing to Barca in a couple of weeks. Call me mad but that's what I think. I'd be delighted with 4 points though as I reckon that'd see us through.

 

That's confidence. Hope you're right mate.

 

I think we'll draw Barca at home, beat spartak and either beat or draw in lisbon.

That should be enough to put us through.

 

Hate to say but i think the team will perform poorly in the remaining games they gave everything in spain and got nothing they are physically and emotionally drained and if you work so hard for something and dont get any reward it can have horrible effect on everyone involved in the set up
was so proud of the bhoys last night
I really hope I m wrong but I fear the worst

 

I agree to a point with you connorbhoy they will be disappointed but we must think positively we took the lead battled hard and maybe shouldve got the draw but we didnt we must take the positives from it we played what i think is the best team in the world in their home and showed we are more than what the bratish press say we are paddy power showed a stat that we are the first team in 2012 to stop messi scoring or assisting a goal they are phenominal and we have to take them home next game play benfica away (hopefully get a point) and spartak at home (hopefully 3 points) even if we dont we have the bhoys have been a credit to the club and will only get better if they all stay HH to think lennon may have walked after kilmarnock last year we are miles ahead of then

 

Spartak at home will be the decider. That is a must win.

 

Benfica away is going to be the tough one imo after we play Barca again and give it our all having to go to Portugal to play a team who have an almost identical home record to us is the tough one.

Fingers crossed we manage a point off Barca and then go to Benfica and pull out a win providing we still have the energy by then to do it, then by the time Spartak come to Parkhead hopefully that result sorts itself out and we go through to the last 16

 

can't see us getting anything at benfica, spartak will be the crucial game but i also see us disappointingly getting a draw in that game

 

UCL Match Day 4
Benfica 1 v 2 Spartak Moscow
Celtic 2 v 4 Barcelona
Brown (pen), Commons for Celtic
UCL Match Day 5
Spartak Moscow 1 v 4 Barcelona
Benfica 2 v 2 Celtic
Samaras, Mulgrew for Celtic
UCL Match Day 6
Celtic 2 vs 0 Spartak Moscow
Barcelona 4 vs 0 Benfica​

Hooper with Both for Celtic

The group will finish as follows:
QUALIFY FOR KNOCK-OUT STAGE OF UCL
Barcelona (Group Winners): 18 pts
Celtic: 8 pts
QUALIFY FOR KNOCK-OUT STAGE OF UEL
Spartak Moscow: 6 pts
ELIMINATED FROM COMPETITION
Benfica: 2 pts

We will then draw Group B Winners - Arsenal in the next stage of the tournament, with the away leg first

Arsenal 1 v 1 Celtic
With Celtic's goal coming from Victor Wanyama

In the return leg at Paradise,
Celtic 3 v 3 Arsenal
With Celtic's goals coming from Hooper, Commons and Forrest

Arsenal progress to the quarter finals. Celtic are eliminated. It'll be gutting but we'll win the SPL the following weekend, against Dundee. The game will finish 8-0 to Celtic, with goals from Hooper(2), Stokes(3), Samaras, Commons, Ambrose. ​

Being knocked out of Europe and with the league wrapped up, the only excitement will come from the Scottish Communities League Cup and the William Hill Scottish Cup.
We will win both competitions. The sweeter victory will be the league cup. We finally meet the up-and-coming team of the year Sevco United FC (2012) in the final of this competition. The new kids on the block will give the champions a scare - going 1-0 up in the first half. But goals from Ledley, Samaras and Golden Gary provide for the 3-1 win. Sevco United stand-in player-manager Lee McCulloch is proud in defeat, dedicating their appearance in the final to his predecessor Alistair McCoist, who sadly could not continue to manage the fledgling Third Division outfit due to the fact that a Gregg's Bakery had been built across the road from his house, effectively destroying his ability to leave his own street.

THE END