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"Celtic Can Join Us In CL 16"- Lionel Messi

Discussion in 'Celtic Chat' started by Jayzhinho67, Nov 4, 2012.

Discuss "Celtic Can Join Us In CL 16"- Lionel Messi in the Celtic Chat area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. Jayzhinho67

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    Some nice comments here from the worlds greatest player :50:


    LIONEL MESSI insists Celtic are Barcelona’s main rivals in the Champions League.
    And the Argentinian, who survived a knee injury scare in last night’s win over Celta Vigo, reckons Celts can finish second in Group G.
    The world’s greatest player expects a tough test at Parkhead on Wednesday and said: “I do not see why Celtic can’t finish second in the group and progress.
    “If they have a bit more belief in the final third of the pitch they will be a very difficult team for anybody in Europe to play.
    “We expect it to be another tough game in Glasgow. Celtic are not an easy team to beat at home and they have already shown they can play with resilience.
    “But we’re confident in our game and if we play like we can we will win.”
    New dad Messi celebrated the birth of his first child, Thiago, on Friday but will be in his usual place for the Euro showdown at Parkhead.
    Celtic kept him off the scoresheet in last month’s cruel last-gasp 2-1 defeat at the Nou Camp.
    The Argentine genius admired the Hoops’ spirit that night, but insists justice was done with Jordi Alba’s injury-time winner.
    He said: “It was right that we won the game against Celtic.
    “They did fight hard, but we played the game the way it should be played.
    “The result was fair. We wanted to win and we played like we wanted to win.
    “It is the culture at Barcelona to play the game in the right way and the result was justice for the way we played.”
    Celtic’s approach in the Nou Camp was criticised by Spanish pundit and Barca legend Bernd Schuster.
    Messi, 25, refused to stick the boot in but wants the Hoops to attack Barca and make Wednesday’s game more open.
    He said: “I hope when we play Celtic away that they will play to win. It is better for football when you get two teams who want to win.
    “It is important they don’t lose if they want to progress — but they must not let that fear strangle the game.”
    Messi scored twice at Parkhead in a 2008 Champions League last-16 clash.
    Barca won 3-2 that night and the little forward was blown away by the noise and colour inside Parkhead.
    The Spanish side’s place in the next round is all but sealed after they won their opening three Group G games.
    But Messi insists they will go all out to finish the job on Wednesday.
    He said: “We know Celtic have a special group of fans. That will encourage the players, but we are always prepared for everything.
    “We are looking to win this game.
    “A draw would probably be enough for us to progress, but as a club we refuse to play the game that way.”
     
  2. scomur1888

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    Some nice words indeed,let's hope we can attack Barca on Wednesday as they continue to leak goals at the back and it's certainly a chance for us to sneak a score draw.
     
  3. Gundog Gold Member Gold Member

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    Wheres the source of this from so I can link it in my facebook :50:
     
  4. LucasBhoy

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    Decent comments from the so called worlds "best player". Still don't think it's right to miss the birth of your child. * child or not. He could've at least married her.
     
  5. Blantyre Bhoy

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    These are certainly far better comments than Messi wrote about the Huns when they last played Barcelona, however let's not get carried away, Wednesday will again be an extremely difficult game and we certainly can't afford to play to open a game.
     
  6. AbBhoy

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    Far-cry from 'anti-football', so cheers to that.

    The schadenfreude at Barcelona's tactical/possession dominance got a bit out of hand last month. It would be like a boxer continually missing Muhammad Ali, and then reporters accusing him of being 'anti-boxing' for not going on the attack.
     
  7. Jezzz

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    Nice comments aye. Don't think any of these foreign players or pundits understand that we basically have no choice but to play defensive football with the players at our disposal and the amount of money spent on our entire team being less than what they'd spend on one player alone.

    No, it isn't the 'Celtic way' either to play like that, but if it's between honoring tradition and getting beat 6-0, or playing defensively and possibly sneaking a result, I know what I'd rather see. Maybe one day we'll have the team which can beat these clubs through fluid attacking play!
     
  8. Darnok

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    What a load of *. If Celtic played like Barca against Barca they would get trounced. There is no "right way" to play football, you play to win and you play to your strengths and the opponents' weaknesses. Hopefully we set up the same way and hit them on the counter and from set-pieces; it's a joy to watch a fine tactical plan pay off, even moreso than the "right way".
     
  9. Marie Bookmaker

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    If we want to progress then we have to try shut up shop against one of the best teams in the world....no point going out and playing attacking football and leaving ourselves wide open at the back.

    Agree with we play to win and if that means that fluid attacking football that is entertaining is push aside for a game or two then so be it.
     
  10. Shane1888

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    Nice comments about the fans etc, but Messi can't seem to grasp the idea that we would rather lose whilst defending heroically and retain some of our pride, than get absolutely trounced and become a laughing stock on the European stage.

    Let's get one thing straight; there is no team in the world right now that can match Barcelona pass for pass and very few teams have the players that are capable of going out, playing them at their own game, and actually beating them.

    Here are the stats from the 2011 Champions League final, in which Barcelona beat Man United, one of the best sides on the planet.

    Possession:

    Barcelona - 68%
    Man United - 32%.

    Shots (on target):

    Barcelona - 16 (13).
    Man United - 3 (1).

    Corners:

    Barcelona - 6.
    Man United - 0.


    Seriously, if they can do that against the likes of United, when they have some world class players of their own at their disposal, what chance do we have against them, with the budget that we have to spend on players and wages? We have no choice but to defend against them and hope that we can hit them on the counter attack and score a goal or two.

    For good measure, here's the stats from the game with Chelsea in last season's CL semi final, which Chelsea eventually won through defending, more defending and then hitting them on the break in the dying seconds.

    Possession:

    Barcelona - 73%
    Chelsea - 27%.

    Shots (on target):

    Barcelona - 23 (14)
    Chelsea - 7 (3).

    Corners:

    Barcelona - 10.
    Chelsea - 1.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2012
  11. Slaw Gold Member Gold Member

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    Do you have a link mate ? :celt_2:
     
  12. cheesepoo

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  13. oh bhoy

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    where were the nice comments ??? * u messi i hope now, even moreso ,u get pumped on wed stick your condecending comments up your *, i cant see why we cant finish first
     
  14. Soul Rebel

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    Reverse psychology; he knows if this gives the lads some form of false hope and we go out and attack Barca they'll pick us apart. That's what the cynic inside me says anyway..
     
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  15. Slaw Gold Member Gold Member

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  16. CH4 Gold Member Gold Member

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    I cant recall who this messi guy is,anybody?
     
  17. Slaw Gold Member Gold Member

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    Because to finish first we'd have to overcome a 5 point deficit to the world's best team over 3 games.
     
  18. oh bhoy

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    still mathmaticly possible making up 3 on wed would be a start
     
  19. Moros

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    I see Xavi has jumped on the bandwagon of comparing us to Chelsea and saying we played anti-football.

    It would be nice if some people had a bit of perspective.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2012
  20. Shane1888

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    Mathematically possible, yes, but tell me with a straight face that you genuinely believe that we can win our remaining three games and top the group.

    We could beat Spartak at home and we could possibly upset Benfica in Lisbon, but I think it's going to be too much to ask of ourselves to beat Barcelona, regardless of us playing at home this coming Wednesday. I hope I'm wrong, of course, but I don't see us finishing 1st in this group. We might still struggle to achieve second and * forbid, even third.