The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

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Why can't the club pronounce it's own name?

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

From BBC Sport:


Celtic v Shakhtar Donetsk (Wed) 
 
Champions League, Group D match
Date: Wednesday, 28 November
Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Venue: Celtic Park
Listen: BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland (810 MW)
Updates: BBC Sport website and mobile
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will give late fitness tests to two key players ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match with Shakhtar Donetsk.

Goalkeeper Artur Boruc and midfielder Paul Hartley missed Saturday's 3-0 victory over Aberdeen.

Both trained with the rest of the squad on Tuesday and are hoping to recover in time to face the Ukrainian side.

Shaktar may be without Mexican midfield playmaker Nery Castillo after a fall-out with manager Mircea Lucescu.


News conference: Celtic boss Gordon Strachan



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celtic (from): Boruc, Mark Brown, Caldwell, McManus, Kennedy, Naylor, Scott Brown, McGeady, Hartley, Donati, Jarosik, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Zurawski, Caddis, Killen, Riordan, Pressley, Sno, O'Dea.


BIG MATCH STATS
Qualification

Celtic are through if they win by a three goal margin, and Benfica fail to beat AC Milan.

Shakhtar can progress if they defeat Celtic, and Benfica also fail to beat AC Milan.

Head-to-heads

Shakhtar Donetsk's and Celtic's only encounters before their meeting in the reverse fixture in this group, came in the first group phase of the 2004-05 Champions League.

The Ukrainian side won their home match (3-0) through goals by the Brazilians Matuzalem (two) and Brandao. Two weeks later, Celtic beat Shakhtar Donetsk (1-0) when Alan Thompson scored. Anatoli Tymoschuk and Cosmin Barcauan (both Shakhtar) were red-carded in that game. This season, Shakhtar beat Celtic 2-0 through goals by Brandao and Cristiano Lucarelli.

European history

This is the fifth Champions League campaign for Celtic, the 1967 Champions Cup winners; it is Shakhtar's fourth in the Champions League and 18th in European competition.

Shakhtar failed to negotiate the group phase in their three previous CL participations.

Current European form

Celtic are unbeaten in their last 10 home matches in European competition, the last eight were in the CL since losing 1-3 to Barcelona on 14 September 2004.

Shakhtar have lost their last two CL matches.

Player and disciplinary info

Shakhtar's Fernandinho is suspended for this match. Scott Brown (Celtic) and Darijo Srna (Shakhtar) will be suspended if booked.

Shakhtar goalkeeper Andri Pyatov is the only player from his team who has been on the field for every minute of this CL season.

Other miscellaneous facts

Shakhtar Donetsk lost two points in the Ukranian league on Saturday, when they drew 1-1 at home to bottom placed Naftovyk. However, they still lead the UPL by one point from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

Celtic recorded a 3-0 win against Aberdeen and have a three point lead over Rangers at the top of the SPL.

Shakhtar Donetsk's next victory will be their 50th in European competition.

Celtic need one goal to record 200 in the Champions Cup/Champions League, and four goals to reach 400 in all European competitions.

[Croí na hÉireann]

EG, do u have an exact transcript of that interview???

[Rav67]

EG, do u have an exact transcript of that interview???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gcfghE78Nc

There's a youtube link if you get the chance to listen to it.

[Galwaybhoy]

Must win game for one of the European giants tonight.  Celtic should win here tonight with some of the world class players they poses and go a long way in booking their place in the Second round.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I like the idea of beating Shaktar 3-0 and not having to worry about the result of the AC match. 

[lynchbhoy]

Celtic struggle to score more than one in europe at home
if they can protect that 'scottish sieve' back four (ok one of them is English) then a 1-0 win is quite possible

Shakthar are dangerous though and if the Celtic def is stretched , a fast counter attack could result in an away goal for them

wont go into eg's idiotic attempts at hi-jacking this thread, if he/she wants to peddle their bigotry jibes elsewhere - glass houses and all that- , maybe a new thread could be started up to discuss , as the notion he/she is trying to justify is a load of bollix

[nifan]

wont go into eg's idiotic attempts at hi-jacking this thread

In fairness this is the celtic thread - it is to discuss all the aspects of celtic surely.

[lynchbhoy]

wont go into eg's idiotic attempts at hi-jacking this thread

In fairness this is the celtic thread - it is to discuss all the aspects of celtic surely.

kept it talking about actual football or did eg go off on the usual tangent of inserting the 'bigotry card' yet again 
if this is to be debated, then a new thread please

[nifan]

Lynchboy - check out the NI thread - all sorts of wierd and wonderful posts on there, and not all to do with football.

[Main Street]

NIfan this is a football only thread.

It looked so difficult for long in the 2nd half to get the breakthough. Shakhtar were closing down so high up the pitch
it looked like Celtic were passing backwards and sideways but always patient.
Fair play to McGeady he never let his head drop in this game, I was shouting for him to pass it back then he does a little drop of the shoulder turns his man and sends in the winning cross.

[Shortso79]

What a finish ! Unbelieveble !

[Galwaybhoy]

I have been saying for awhile that probably after Given, McGeady is Irelands only other world class footballer.  Good finish and all is looking great for the hoops.  Celtic will be feared in the latter rounds of this European competition.

[SeanSouth]

I have been saying for awhile that probably after Given, McGeady is Irelands only other world class footballer.  Good finish and all is looking great for the hoops.  Celtic will be feared in the latter rounds of this European competition.

When you say "world class" do you mean the little make believe world inside your head?

[Galwaybhoy]

I have been saying for awhile that probably after Given, McGeady is Irelands only other world class footballer.  Good finish and all is looking great for the hoops.  Celtic will be feared in the latter rounds of this European competition.

When you say "world class" do you mean the little make believe world inside your head?

No he would put the fear of god in any team in Europe.  If he were playing for a small club he would be gone by now.