Get the latest Celtic news delivered straight to your inbox with our newsletter
We have newsletters
Get the latest Celtic news delivered straight to your inbox with our newsletter
we have newsletters
Celtic are in favour of a European coup to save their skin this week; however, former Rangers captain Lorenzo Amoruso believes they will be disappointed by Lazio in Rome.
The Hoops know they want a win to have any chance of betting on Europe after Christmas after picking up just one point from their first four Champions League games, a run that includes that heartbreaking defeat at Parkhead in early October. Anything but a win and even finishing third is out of reach, however, if they win and Atletico beat Feyenoord, they will face the Eredivisie side in the final day’s penalty shootout.
They will first have to repeat their 2019 feats and win at the Stadio Olimpico and former Rangers captain Amoruso believes Lazio’s physical superiority will help them come through. He expects Celtic to return to Glasgow disappointed: “The quality is all on Lazio’s side. And they are, rightly, the favorites to win. I’m expecting a similar game to the first leg in Scotland.
“Compared to Lazio, Celtic is a team that has less quality, but is impressive in terms of physical intensity. They run a lot and are very consistent in their league. But there is no point in explaining those imaginable risks to Maurizio Sarri because he will already have them. everything ready impeccably.
“I think Lazio are a team that is among the best in the league, but they have lost Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on the pitch and their sporting director Igli Tare off the pitch. Both losses were felt. But for me, as long as they have Sarri as coach and they will improve. They will end up fighting for a place in the Champions League at the end of the season. “
On the other hand, Real Madrid backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin could be available in January despite a recent run with the team.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper has been on the bench for much of the season but has filled the gap in his last three games with first-choice goalkeeper Kepa injured. Record Sport understands that he is one of the Celtic goalkeepers who are looking for a long-term replacement for Joe Hart, and while his recent notoriety at Real might suggest that he will be a difficult guy to come by, Carlo Ancelotti has hinted that his time in the team will come to an end this week.
Speaking about this weekend’s clash against Granada, Ancelotti said of the goalkeeper: “Lunin is in one position but Kepa will return to Granada and if he is well, he will play. “
The issues that arose in front of Motherwell over the weekend prompted some growls from Parkhead at Parkhead and Jon Obika insists the Steelmen’s tie may make their season asymmetrical. The Englishman’s header in the 90th minute secured an unlikely point for the Lanarkshire side, who have gone 10 games without a win. , but it’s a much-needed moral boost.
Obika believes it is a result that shows the team is united behind boss Stuart Kettlewell and that the entire dressing room is fighting to revive its fortunes. He said: “I felt like we showed unity. Even during the rough patch we went through, we had that. ” , but we can go back from there.
“Celtic are a very sensible team and when you come here you have to stay in combination or they will separate you, however, it showed our unity and unity among the lads. If we can come here and score a point, who’s to say we can?Don’t you?”
Was the late equalizer at Parkhead a highlight of your career? “It’s a moment that fits perfectly in my career,” he said. “But the purpose is more for the kids.
“I kept going for the last 20 minutes, it was the other players who made the change.
“The coach set up the team to be compact and hurt them when we were able to get on the field. At the end of the day, my task was to be close to his passer. I saw the ball go by and just tried to touch the ball. as much as I could. Luckily, my head went in. He’d only been on the pitch for a few minutes, but they took the corner away from us and, fortunately, we scored.