-
Posts
-
£20m Old Firm Europe crunch
By John McGill
THE Old Firm’s prayers for a £20m Champions League luck of the draw went unanswered today.
Both have mountains to climb to reach the lucrative group stages.
Third qualifying round draw
FH Hafnarfjordur/BATE v Zaglebie Lubior Steaua Bucuresti
Levski Sofia/Tampere United v FC Astana/Rosenborg
Spartak Moscow v Celtic
Werder Bremen v Domzale/Dinamo Zagreb
FK Ventspils/SV Red Bull Salzburg v Shakhtar Donetsk/Pyunik
Ajax v MSK Zilina/Slavia Prague
Valencia v Debrecen/IF Elfsborg
Genk/FK Sarajevo v Dynamo Kiev
Fenerbahce v Anderlecht
Rangers/Zeta v Crvena Zvezda/Levadia Talinn
Toulouse v Liverpool
Benfica v FC Copenhagen/ Beitar Jerusalem
Lazio v Dinamo Bucuresti
Sparta Prague v Arsenal
FC Zurich v Besiktas/FC Sheriff
Sevilla v AEK Athens
Ties to be played over two legs on Aug 14/15 & 28/29
Celtic came out the hat away to Russian League leaders Spartak Moscow in the third and final qualifying round.
Rangers are facing a home tie against Serbian cracks Red Star Belgrade.
advertisement
First, though, Gers and Red Star have unfinished business. Walter Smith’s men must negotiate next week’s dangerous return leg against Zeta. That tie will be in Montenegro which, with Red Star’s Serbia, were the republics which formed the former Yugoslavia.And former European champions Red Star, who beat Rangers in 1991, take a 1-0 first leg lead to Levadia Tallin in Estonia next week.
The final qualifying round ties, scheduled for August 14-15 and 28-29, could not have been more difficult for Glasgow’s big two – and, ironically, their fate was decided by former SFA chief executive David Taylor, who made the draw on behalf of his new paymasters Uefa.
The prize for reaching the group stage is at least £10m each, with much, much more on offer if they can progress. Last season, Celtic season, Celtic raked in nearer £16m by reaching the last 16 for the first time, emulating the achievement of Rangers the previous season.
It will be Celtic’s fourth visit to Russia, having three times played Dinamo Kiev, the last time in 1987.
Former Hoops captain Roy Aitken said: “It’s a tough, tough draw but at this stage you come up against top sides. It’s hard to come up against a Russian side just now, as they are in the middle of their season. Celtic will have to be at their best to get through.”
Spartak are halfway through their season and lead with nine wins from 18 games. They play on astroturf and three years ago Rangers lost there 2-1 to CSKA Moscow in a Champions League qualifier, Jiri Jarosik scoring before his move to Celtic.
Rangers’ hopes could benefit from the Serbian season kicking-off a week behind the SPL, so Rangers should be at no disadvantage.
The Serbian double winners have a multi-national squad, having just signed players from Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, and Poland.
Rangers legend Richard Gough expects Red Star to go through. He said: “We played them in 1991 and they were a fantastic side. Let’s hope they’re not as strong now.
“I was at the game against Zeta and Rangers looked a bit scrappy but managed to win and hopefully they can tighten things up as they go forward.”
Dunfermline face Swedes BK Hacken in the Uefa Cup.
I think Rangers have, on paper anyway, got the more favourable draw of the British clubs but that counts for nothing. I thought Zeta would be a formality.
Fact is that Rangers can’t afford to miss out on qualification to the group stages at least, won’t be easy but could have been much harder.
Liverpool got toulouse…
id personally say that was an easier game than rangers have got
Fair point, I really only mentioned Rangers as they’re my team. Toulouse should be straight forward enough for Liverpool, but the fact that I never even knew that they’d qualified makes them a bit of a surprise package with nothing to lose . That can be a dangerous thing but I reckon Liverpool will cope.
Liverpoo know that the champions league is their only income
as they cant cut it in the league, they concentrate on the european games, so they will take them all seriously
Celtic have a coont of a draw. :(
Yea not the easiest one there Bad!! but its a guaranteed good game! wont be an upset whoever wins it.
i remember everton getting into this stage and having villa real!!! semi finalists they where that year
rangers do have the better draw, but lets hope we don’t produce what we did last week and more like what we did in the weekend. We looked strong and fit.
Do have to admit though, Davie Weirs goal last week was exceptional :D
HI PPL.
IF THE WAY CELTIC PLAYED THE OTHER DAY THEN THEY HAVE GOT MORE THAN A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB.PLUS RANGERS JUST GOT THROUGH THERE 1ST MATCH SO THERE IS A COUPLE OF TOUGH GAMES FOR THE SCOTISH CLUBS.I JUST HOPE FOR SCOTTISH FOOTY WE BVOTH GET TO THE GROUP STAGES.IM A RANGERS FAN AND I WANT TO SEE US GIVE GOOD REPRESENTATION TO SCOTTISH FOOTBALL……………………@tam1969 wrote:
HI PPL.
IF THE WAY CELTIC PLAYED THE OTHER DAY THEN THEY HAVE GOT MORE THAN A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB.PLUS RANGERS JUST GOT THROUGH THERE 1ST MATCH SO THERE IS A COUPLE OF TOUGH GAMES FOR THE SCOTISH CLUBS.I JUST HOPE FOR SCOTTISH FOOTY WE BVOTH GET TO THE GROUP STAGES.IM A RANGERS FAN AND I WANT TO SEE US GIVE GOOD REPRESENTATION TO SCOTTISH FOOTBALL……………………well the Rangers Numptys are at it again with the Sectarian Chants…. i think u’ll find Rangers losing more points thru the Numptys supporters….!!
here Tam had u has a Jambo with ur thread…!!
Get involved in this discussion! Log in or register now to have your say!