Celtic VS Paris Saint Germain
Tuesday (12/09/2017)
19:45 (WAT)
Neymar and co will visit the Hoops for Celtic’s Champions League opener.Tuesday (12/09/2017)
19:45 (WAT)
There couldn’t be a bigger introduction to Champions League football at Celtic Park this season than the visit of £200m-man Neymar and his Paris Saint-Germain teammates on Tuesday.
Drawn in an unbelievably tough group alongside the French giants, Bayern Munich and Anderlecht, Brendan Rodgers is likely to be targeting a battle with the latter foe for third spot and a place in the Europa League.
That is not to say that PSG’s visit to start the campaign is a foregone conclusion. There have been upsets on European nights in Glasgow before, after all.
Here are three reasons why this could be another:
Home strength
In all Champions League home games this decade, including qualifiers, Celtic have only lost six matches out of 28.
During that time they have beaten European powerhouses past and present, including Barcelona, Benfica and Ajax.
Last season, they memorably took a point off of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in a fascinating encounter. So upsets are far from rare.
Parisian vulnerability
PSG may have been extremely consistent in the Champions League, but haven’t managed to go beyond the quarter-final stage in the last five years.
They showed a vulnerability against weaker opposition last season when they slipped up to draw at home to Ludogorets and also fell behind in away tie after just fifteen minutes.
It suggested that Unai Emery's side brought a level of complacency into both games, which will come back to bite them in the raucous atmosphere of a European night at Celtic Park.
The Frenchmen have also lost group games on the road to Porto, Benfica and Ajax in the past five years
Insider information
Celtic recently completed the loan signing of PSG striker Odsonne Edouard and he has already told ESPN that he is happy to play, and score, against his parent club if given the chance.
He is a childhood friend of new PSG superstar striker Kylian Mpabbe, according to the Express, and can give Brendan Rodgers and his backroom staff some insight into the former Monaco teenager's playing style that may not be found in the scouting videos.
And with another PSG academy graduate, Moussa Dembele, likely to miss the clash through injury, Edouard could well be given the chance to impress both clubs.
PSG
The French billionaires will arrive in Glasgow tomorrow for the opening clash in the Champions League fresh from their 5-1 demolition of Metz in Ligue 1 on Friday night.
PSG fielded the most expensive frontline ever assembled in world football, with £450m worth of talent in their front four comprising Neymar, Mbappe, Draxler and Edinson Cavani.
All except German international Draxler netted, and he is convinced Neymar and Mbappe can continue their hot streak against the Hoops on Tuesday.
He said: “We certainly got two grenades this summer.
“We have signed Neymar, one of the best players in the world, and with Mbappe we have one of the greatest talents in the world.
“We have a big squad but there are a lot of games. We hope to go very far in the Champions League.”
Mbappe admitted he loved teaming up with former Barcelona ace Neymar.
He said: “It’s easy to play with Neymar. He’s a player who turns you into a better player.
“We have to keep it going against Celtic – we will have to be on top of our game all the time.”
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