Strachan's reaction to CL draw

[gruenweisscfc]

CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan has admitted he had a “funny feeling” Celtic would once again be paired with holders Manchester United in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.

The SPL champions will meet the Premiership’s top guns and reigning European champions in another eagerly-anticipated Battle of Britain, just two years after the last competitive clash between the two sides. Spanish club Villarreal and Danish champs Aalborg complete the Group E line-up.

Speaking exclusively to www.celticfc.net minutes after the draw was made, the Celtic manager, who spent five years with United in the late 1980s, revealed the outcome of the draw did not surprise him at all.

“We don’t mess about at Celtic – we're in the competition so we might as well play the holders of the Champions League,” he said.

“Last year, we drew AC Milan who were holders and then faced Barcelona in the last 16. We don’t mess about at this club.

“I had a funny feeling that we would get Man United. I was down south earlier in the week and I took in their game against Portsmouth. I just had a wee feeling when I was watching that game, so I suppose I got my scouting in early.”

While United came out as top seeds, the manager is also well aware of the threat posed by emerging Spanish side Villarreal, who finished second in La Liga.

Several members of Spain’s victorious 2008 European Championships team will face Celtic and the Hoops boss is expecting a huge challenge. Celtic last faced Villarreal in the 2004 UEFA Cup.

“Villarreal’s reputation goes before them now,” he said. “They are one of those teams where people say, ‘Hey, we don’t know much about their history, but that doesn’t matter’.

“They are a first-class side. Sometimes you can meet teams with a lot of history, but who aren’t up to much at present. Villarreal are making their own history now. They are a top side.”

Amazingly, in the cosmopolitan world of the UEFA Champions League, three of the four teams in Celtic’s group are managed by Scotsmen, with the Celtic boss going head-to-head with compatriots in Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Aalborg supremo Bruce Rioch.

The Hoops boss laughed: “I never even thought about it that way but it’s amazing how football works. It’s probably the first time that’s ever happened.

“We know all about Manchester United and Villarreal, but Aalborg will be a good side, that's for sure. We played Copenhagen a few years back and we saw how good they were. If they can finish above them in the Danish league, alborg must be a good side.A

“It’s exciting. It’s another challenge for this group of players and it’s one we relish. It’s good that the supporters will get to see a few new teams this season and my sister will be happy because her family will have a few new destinations to visit.”

from: Manager's reaction to Euro draw

[DustyMcCeltic]

Bring it on!

[Fionn MacCool]

What's that about Copenhagen? They weren't a good side, we just played crap against them (plus we'd already qualified when we played them away)