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Trivia
- Summer tour warm-ups in Europe.
- Aberdeen & Hearts qualify for next round in Europe.
- Celtic to face team from Gibraltar in our opening round in the Champions League qualifiers.
- Euros: France v Portugal in the final on Sunday.
- Tennis: Scotland’s Andy Murray playing in Wimbledon final on Sunday. Good luck to him.
- First real game for Celtic next week in European Cup against Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar.
- Good news as ex-Celt Stan Petrov who has battled & defeated leukaemia has returned (nominally) at least to training with Aston Villa. We are very proud of him.
Review
(marcat of KDS)
Couldn't care less about the pre-season results. The manager needs time to make his assessments and I am sure he is now certain what he needs in terms of strengthening and hopefully things will happen now.
We all know that its not easy to sign players this early in the transfer window as agents will advise their clients to hold off, unless silly money is on offer.
(sean d of KDS)
Unbeaten away from home against the sort of teams we are likely to face in the CL play off game.
A worthwhile trip.
(Ben 7 of KDS)
Having watched all the preseason games so far I have to say that the style of play is utterly boring.
If I have to see any more side ways passing between the back four I may go crazy.
I'm sure when the season starts for proper we will be more adventurous in our attacking play- but the signs so far is of a continuation of the style of play everyone moaned so much about last season.
We were much better yesterday when Rogic and Forrest came on. Rogic is an excellent player- I know we said it all last season but brown and Johansen should not be in the squad ahead of Rogic- he can spot a pass and moves the ball around the pitch beautifully.
Teams
CELTIC (4-3-3)
Gordon; Janko (Lustig 63), Ambrose (O’Connell 63), Sviatchenko (Ajer 63), Tierney (Izaguirre 63); Johansen (McGregor 29), Bitton (Armstrong 63), Brown (Rogic 63); Griffiths (Roberts 63) Dembele (Ciftci 63), Christie (Forrest 63)
Not Used: Bailly, Fasan, Lindsay, Allan, Fisher, McCart, Henderson, Ralston
NK MARIBOR (4-2-3-1)
Handanovic; Hodzic (Pusaver 46), Denis (Mertelj 46), Suler (Uskokovic 46), Janza (Viler 46); Hotic (Bohar 46), Vrhovec (Kabha 46), Pihler (Ogrinec 46), Bajde (Sallalich 46); Tavares (Novakovic 46), Omoregie (Vrsic 46)
Not Used: Obradovic, Cotman, Rahmanovic
Pre-season friendly
Stadion Ljudski Vrt, Maribor
Referee:
Attendance:
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Forum
Articles
Celtic end pre-season tour with goal-less stalemate
By: Mark Henderson in Slovenia on 09 Jul, 2016 20:05
http://www.celticfc.net/news/10850
Pre-season friendly
Stadion Ljudski Vrt, Maribor
Saturday, July 9, 2016
NK MARIBOR…0
CELTIC…0
DESPITE controlling most of the match, Celtic had to settle for a goal-less draw against NK Maribor in their final game of the pre-season tour of Slovenia.
Stefan Johansen and Tom Rogic came closest to breaking the deadlock for the Hoops in the Stadion Ljudski Vrt as Brendan Rodgers used the exercise to give most of his squad further time on the pitch ahead of the start of the UEFA Champions League campaign on Tuesday against Lincoln Red Imps.
The manager made just the one change to the team that started in the 2-1 victory over Olimpija Ljubljana three days earlier, with Ryan Christie replacing Liam Henderson. The 21-year-old lined alongside Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele in a front-three.
Despite the match kicking off at 7pm (local time), conditions were still sweltering as the Bhoys took the field and it took some time for them to find their tempo.
In the seventh minute an incisive move down the left saw the Scottish champions carve out their first sight of goal. Kieran Tierney sent Christie scampering clear and goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovic could only parry his powerful cross to Johansen but the Norwegian failed to make a proper connection and dragged his effort wide.
Although the Hoops gradually took control of proceedings, dominating possession, they struggled to plot further routes through the home rearguard, with Maribor content to mass bodies behind the ball and hit on the break.
As play became bogged down in midfield and punctuated by fouls, Nir Bitton and Scott Brown saw yellow for the Bhoys.
The home side had not posed much of an attacking threat, registering their first shots on goal around the half-hour mark and both Gregor Bajde and Dino Hotic were off target and never troubled Craig Gordon.
Celtic’s rhythm was also disrupted when Johansen was forced from the fray with a knock. Callum McGregor took his spot in midfield.
After a largely uneventful first-half, the Hoops looked keen to take the initiative after the restart, with Christie embarking on a weaving run into the box before McGregor tested Handanovic from distance.
Dembele also lashed a shot across goal after holding off his marker as Celtic began to make inroads into the hosts, who had made 10 changes at the interval. Sintayehu Sallalich was one of those to enter the fray and the winger injected some vigour into the Maribor offence. His cross-shot forced Gordon into his first save and then he lashed a drive beyond the post.
Back came Celtic, though, and Dembele saw a shot saved by Handanovic after Janko had raced to the byline, with Maribor shot-stopper doing enough to prevent Christie from reaching the rebound.
Just past the hour-mark, Brendan Rodgers, recognising the need to give his full squad match practice, sent on nine players from the bench, including Rogic who didn’t take long to try his luck, blasting wide from the edge of the area. Patrick Roberts also lashed a shot past the post from long-range as the Hoops’ continued to search for a goal.
But the visitors were almost caught out in the 74th minute when Dare Vrsic curled wide after being supplied by Sallalich.
Celtic finished strongly, however, and Rogic forced a late save from Handanovic after a rampaging run into the box, with all attention now turning to the start of competitive action next week.
CELTIC (4-3-3) Gordon; Janko (Lustig 63), Ambrose (O’Connell 63), Sviatchenko (Ajer 63), Tierney (Izaguirre 63); Johansen (McGregor 29), Bitton (Armstrong 63), Brown (Rogic 63); Griffiths (Roberts 63) Dembele (Ciftci 63), Christie (Forrest 63)
Not Used: Bailly, Fasan, Lindsay, Allan, Fisher, McCart, Henderson, Ralston
NK MARIBOR (4-2-3-1) Handanovic; Hodzic (Pusaver 46), Denis (Mertelj 46), Suler (Uskokovic 46), Janza (Viler 46); Hotic (Bohar 46), Vrhovec (Kabha 46), Pihler (Ogrinec 46), Bajde (Sallalich 46); Tavares (Novakovic 46), Omoregie (Vrsic 46)
Not Used: Obradovic, Cotman, Rahmanovic
Website Man of the Match: Ryan Christie
Brendan Rodgers encouraged by Celtic's defensive dexterity
By: Mark Henderson in Slovenia on 09 Jul, 2016 23:46
http://www.celticfc.net/news/10851
BRENDAN Rodgers says Celtic will travel to Gibraltar tomorrow (Sunday) ahead of their first competitive contest of the campaign as a stronger collective after completing their pre-season trip to Slovenia.
The Hoops rounded off their 13-day stay in Central Europe tonight with a goal-less draw against NK Maribor, meaning they finished the four-game tour unbeaten.
Again, the manager felt his side showed positive signs in the stalemate with Maribor, particularly in the defensive department, giving him further encouragement for Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie with Lincoln Red Imps.
Speaking exclusively to Celtic TV on the Maribor performance, he said: “Because these teams are unknown, then people take it for granted that you can turn up and win these types of games, whether it’s a competition or pre-season.
“They have qualified for the Champions League recently and ran Chelsea very close here. They are a good side and when they play at their own ground, they are very hard to beat. I thought our players were excellent.
“In terms of what I saw over the four games, we have only conceded one goal from open play over games, so our defensive organisation and our pressing has become very good.
“Our solidity and mentality has been excellent and that is something which is very important when you are trying to form a collective unity.
“We will get better offensively as time goes on and we work together but that collective idea to defend together and press together has been very pleasing and tonight was another good example of that.
“The four games have proved very beneficial for us and our opponents have got better as we have stepped up. It was another really good test for us tonight. Maribor, for five of the last six years have been Slovenian champions so it was really good exercise for us and the players coped and adapted really well in what were very hot conditions and the preparations for the game on Tuesday was perfect.
“It’s been an excellent tour for us,” continued the Hoops boss. “It’s only been 20 days since we have been together. I felt we left Lennoxtown, having worked well, and at the end of this 20-day period, we travel to our first European qualification game as a team.
“I have been overly pleased by the attitude of the players. There is still a long way to go before we are perfect but in terms of the attitude and what the players are trying to take no board, I have been delighted.
“It will be a tough game in Gibraltar but we are ready as we can be. We have piled as much work as we can into the last 20 days out here both on and off the pitch and we are ready as we can be for it.”