Kenny Dalglish expects Celtic to challenge for second place in the upcoming Champions League group stage and predicts Ange Postecoglou will stick to his strong game vision despite his opponent’s strength.
Dalglish, a three-time tournament winner with Liverpool, is relishing the prospect of the Bhoys taking on Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk.
And he feels the Bhoys have nothing to worry about in the next couple of months.
Writing in his Sunday Post column today, he said [28/08 print edition, Post Match supplement, page 20]“I am certain that Ange Postecoglou and his men will rise to the challenge. You would expect Real Madrid to top the section and Celtic to battle with Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Leipzig for the right to finish second. I don’t think Celtic have anything to worry about.
“It will be interesting to see how Ange prepares his team for these games. He says he’s not going to change his style, and I don’t doubt him. If that’s what he believes in, then he’s right to stick to it.
“There are a lot of quality players in the Parkhead team, and there is no doubt that Jota, Kyogo, Matt O’riley, Reo Hatate and Mcgregor can hurt their opponents.
“It’s also about keeping sheets clean, and they’ll need to be fully focused for 90 minutes. Joe Hart will thrive being back on the Champions League stage. He will be vital for the Hoops in all six games. It will be the same for the Celtic supporters. The atmosphere will be incredible inside their own stadium.
Progressing into the last 16 of the tournament would be a fantastic achievement for Celtic given that we came in from pot four. Only a small handful of clubs have managed to make it as top seeds in recent years.
Personally, I would be quite happy with a third place in the group, parachuting into the knockout stages of the Europa League.
I see a place in the round of 16 as achievable and a place in the Europa League as acceptable. Only a fourth place would really frustrate fans.
Either way, I’m delighted to see this group of players take on Europe’s elite teams, starting with reigning champions Real Madrid.
In other news, a change to maintain league-leading status: Celtic Predicted XI v Dundee United.
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