Celtic's Champions League season 17/18

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I'd imagine the Molde team we faced would be about a similar ability, saying that though - they did go through in our Europa group.

 

Not the team they were last season by any stretch but they'd survive without doubt and would probably challenge for Europe.
Current Cork team with Maguire would be as good as anything outwith us and Aberdeen.

 

It's the League of Ireland mate, the Irish League is the league where Linfield play.
Dundalk made the Europa League group stages last season after dropping out of the Champions League having beat FH and BATE and losing to Legia Warsaw. They have lost three of their key players since then, Horgan and Boyle to Preston and Ronan Finn to Shamrock Rovers. They have won the league the last three seasons but are a distant second to my team, Cork City, this season. They are currently 12 points behind with two games more played, so their league season is over as they are well clear of the chasing pack themselves.
I thought they were far the better team against Rosenborg and really should have won the game, conceding a terrible equaliser from a set-piece, right on the stroke of half-time. They showed they have developed some nous from playing in Europe, certainly far more than Cork City did last night in losing at home to Larnaca.
Of the two, I think Rosenborg would be slightly easier for Celtic as I don't think there is much between the teams and there would be less of an occasion to the away leg. Obviously it would be different playing in Dublin than Windsor, but there would still be a bit of a circus feel to it, something I think we are better avoiding.

On the point of Dublin, the FAI have sanctioned a friendly between Man United and Sampdoria, in Lansdowne Road, the Thursday of the week Dundalk are scheduled to be at home, so I am not sure if the Aviva would be available. It can't be played at Dundalk's Oriel Park, that's for certain; it doesn't meet UEFA requirements for the next round.
They have to win for that to be a problem, of course.

 

Can't see Dundalk getting through. Rosenborg will be tough. We seem to struggle against Scandinavian teams and i can imagine them coming here and parking the bus and it would be a nervy night indeed if we have to go to Norway with anything less than a big lead. A clean sheet is vital for the home leg.

 

I can see us winning both legs against Rosenborg should we get them. Under Deila i would have been very nervy but this team who have played under Brendan for a whole year now give me confidence for these games.

 

Also, hope Broony breaks Neymar's legs in the group stages.

 

All I've seen of Rosenborg was the Dundalk game and was a pretty lackluster affair. Never like home leg first, but hopefully we can build a good lead.


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Yeah I know what you're saying mate, there is no dead certs in qualifiers and it just takes a bad decision to dump us out.

The big difference is the mentality under Rodgers, no matter who we're playing the team do not take the opposition lightly.

Agreed mate, we should be near full fitness for the Rosenborg game and hopefully match sharpness.

 

Was looking at some of the Rosenborg results from last season , I take it they play some kind of Scandinavian cup or something they drew 1-1 with Malmo away and beat Copenhagen 0-2 away

 

I would imagine they are just friendly matches as their seasons run at the same time and most of the top teams in the 3 leagues would be at a similar level. There used to be a competition a decade or so ago called the Royal League, which had the top 4 teams from Sweden, Denmark and Norway in it. It only ran for a few years and the Danes dominated it but it petered out over sponsorship, I think.
I remember that competition being mentioned in relation to the North Atlantic league proposal that was once being suggested too.

 

Don't think Rosenborg are the threat they used to be. We shouldn't have a problem against them over two legs should they progress.

 

We play home second leg

 

You sure?

I asked this question already and I thought we were home first

 

We're at home first

 

Honestly, i think the ties in the last few years at this stage have been harder than we think. Astana and Qarabag are fairly decent teams who were rock solid at their own grounds (imo qarabag were better than malmo that year, * knows how malmo managed to beat us). Facing rosenborg/dundalk would be a fresh change.

 

Merely playing devil's advocate etc

If Claudio Ranieri can win the league and grow into virtual immortality for Leicester yet be sacked under a year later for failing to continue progressing forward, and Ronnie Deila got sacked for not progressing Celtic in Europe........

Would BR be under pressure if we (* forbid) failed to get into the CL this season? It'd certainly deflate the feeling of last season's domestic treble.

Again, I 100% support the manager but in modern day football money and success talks and is at an absolute premium.

 

If we failed to qualify for the CL and won the Europa and the treble i'd have to say no

 

On the stream i was watching the guy was putting up pics of the Pope, and Gerry Adams during the game.

hahaha

 

Not a chance it would cost him his job.

It would raise some eyebrows within the boardroom - of course - but he's not going to be sacked for it.

The only way he won't be here this time next year is if we don't win the league (and there's a reason why one bookmaker has already paid out and it's pointless backing us at the rest) or if he feels he has done everything he can do with us and sees the success we have enjoyed under him as a springboard back to management in England.

The latter is likely to happen before 2 more seasons have passed in my humble opinion.