Celtic will be welcoming FC Barcelona on home soil for the 2nd
match of the Champions League group stage tonight.
Since Celtic will be playing
at home, it is expected that they will make use of home advantage to frustrate Barca
and maybe steal a win, just like they did last year where Victor Wanyama and
Tony Watts both saw the goal post for Celtic, winning 2-1.
Celtic boss Neil Lennon may settle for 4-5-1 formation,
choking up the midfield to probably deny Barca midfield play, putting up star
forward Georgios Samaras who scored a hattrick in their last domestic league
fixture against Kilmarnock
In the absence of Carles Puyol, Barca’s unsolved defense
problem will be tested by Samaras seeing youngster Bartra paired with Gerard
Pique in action.
Barca will be without four times Ballon d’Or winner Lionel
Messi due to injury, and Neymar is prepared to fit into Messi’s shoes in tonight’s
clash. The Argentine scored a hat trick in Barca’s opener to the Champions
League campaign against Ajax.
Messi joins the likes of Jordi Alba, Afellay, Isaac Cuenca
and Carles Puyol on the side line.
Celtic- expected line-up
Forster; Izaguirre, Ambrose, Lustig, Dijk; Pukki, Mulgrew,
Commons, Browns, Stokes; Samaras
FC Barcelona – expected line-up
Valdes; Adriano, Batra, Pique, Alves, Busquets, Iniesta,
Fabregas; Sanchez Pedro, Neymar
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