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Celts prepare for final test in Slovenia

Discussion in 'TalkCeltic News' started by Mr Shelby, Jul 7, 2016.

By Mr Shelby on Jul 7, 2016 at 7:25 PM
  1. Mr Shelby Moderator Moderator Gold Member

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    Maribor vs Celtic match preview

    [​IMG]VS[​IMG]


    Saturday 9th July 2016
    Ljudski vrt Stadium
    Maribor, Slovenia
    Pre-Season Friendly
    K.O. 18:00


    It is approaching two years now since Celtic last faced Maribor in that fateful Champions League qualifier at Parkhead. After a positive 1-1 draw away in Slovenia in the first leg, it seemed as though the Hoops were all set up to finish the job back in Glasgow and return to the Champions league proper for the third year running. As we all know however, it wasn't to be and former manager Ronny Deila was forced to face the humiliation of exiting the qualifiers for the second time in what was only a matter of weeks.

    Due to the recent history between the two sides, this friendly will perhaps carry an extra weight of importance for some members of the Celtic squad who were unfortunate enough to be playing that night. The match will also be the final game in Slovenia, as Rodgers and his squad prepare to head home to Scotland in preparation for their opening qualifier against Lincoln Red Imps on Tuesday night. This will perhaps mean we see a more settled side over the 90 minutes as the new gaffer seeks to find the right combination of players for what will be his first competitive game in charge next week.


    NK Maribor


    Last seasons Slovenian league runners up are currently the most successful side in the country with 13 championship titles, 9 Slovenian cups and 4 Super Cups. Our opponents from Wednesday, Olimpija, are Maribors' biggest rivals so we can perhaps expect a similar test here.

    Despite triumphing over Celtic two years ago as previously mentioned, this side has lost a couple of players since then, most notably Agim Ibraimi who was the standout player over both legs. He is now plying his trade in Kazakhstan with Astana. Marcos Tavares, the man who scored that crucial away goal on the night at Celtic Park, remains. With him holding both the all time appearance and goal record at the club, he is a man who the rest of the side will still look to for some inspiration.

    Another face who some of you may recognise is that of Milvoje Novakovic. The 6ft 4 veteran striker scored 74 goals in 166 games for FC Koln in Germany during his prime and, at 37, is still going strong back in his homeland. With 31 goals in 76 caps for Slovenia as well, he is a player with a respectable pedigree.

    [​IMG]
    Experience is key: Novakovic has only recently returned to his home country

    Celtic

    As pre-season tours go, it is fair to say that Celtic have impressed so far on theirs. Early season games can often include embarrassing results and shambolic performances with players edging their way back to full fitness. Throw in the fact that the club has a new management team in place and you would perhaps expect some early slackness. So far though, this has not been the case under Rodgers. The Celts are still undefeated after 3 games on their Slovenian tour and are looking more organised with each passing game. In their last outing against Olimpija in particular, the players looked as though they have been listening to Brendan in training as he looks to imprint his own footballing philosophy on the team.

    With more important games just around the corner however the players will no doubt be looking to really put on a show here and make a lasting impression. It is highly likely that the team which starts the game will be the same one that takes to the field in Gibraltar on Tuesday night. New signing Moussa Dembele will be keen to get some more minutes under his belt as he looks to increase his fitness and chances of starting. The powerful Frenchman made a decent debut on Wednesday evening during the 2-1 win and showed glimpses of what he will bring to the side. Both he and Griffiths look to be on the same wave length even this early on, which is encouraging.

    [​IMG]
    Bhoy Wonder: Dembele continues to get up to speed

    If Rodgers has his way Dembele might even be joined by further new signings come Saturday night. The manager recently told the Glasgow Evening Times that he would ideally like to have two more players in before tomorrow's Champions League registration deadline. There are various whispers floating around of who those two could be, with centre backs Shane Duffy and Kolo Toure both rumoured to be close to agreeing deals. Whether or not the club have enough time to get some deals over the line in the next 24 hours is another story however. I personally feel that we will almost certainly see some new faces within the next week as the club seem to be working extremely hard behind the scenes. After all, we are looking for quality and not quantity so it is important to take enough time to find the right players.

    Celtic have definitely thought wisely when choosing their opponents on this tour. Maribor and Olimpija are both sides who are similar to those we might face in the qualifiers to come and can therefore be viewed as excellent preparation. I can see another win here for the Hoops however and will go with a 3-1 victory for the good guys.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 7, 2016