Former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone has tipped Celtic to knock Copenhagen out of the Europa League over the next 10 days.
Mannone now plays for Esbjerg, the team that managed to beat Copenhagen 1-0 on Friday night. He believes that his team have shown the way for Celtic to beat their Danish opponents on Thursday night.
Copenhagen also come into this one struggling with both form and injuries. The experienced Viktor Fischer will definitely miss Thursday’s game after picking up an injury in their Portugal training camp (FCK).
And with the Danish champions looking vulnerable, the ex-Emirates shot-stopper believes Celtic are the favourites. Speaking in the Daily Record, here’s what he had to say:
“It’ll be a tough game because Copenhagen are still one of the best teams in Denmark. They should expect a lot of balls into the box – you know how direct Copenhagen will be.
“But Celtic are a strong side. I fancy them to go through to the next round. Unfortunately, we had to suffer until the very end but hopefully it won’t be like that for Celtic.
“European games are always tough. But Neil Lennon should watch our game. Because away from home at the Parken, it will be like how we played against Copenhagen at home.”
Direct balls continue to be a problem for Celtic
The biggest thing for Neil Lennon and Celtic to take away from Mannone’s comments is the part about cross-balls. If this is Copenhagen’s biggest danger then that’s an immediate concern.
You only have to go back as recently as yesterday to find our latest error in defending cross-balls. Indeed, Ash Taylor was bizarrely left unmarked from a Matty Kennedy cross before being given time and space to strike home on the half-volley for Aberdeen.
It was poor from Celtic. It also follows similar cross-ball goals this season from the likes of Marios Ogkmpoe, Sam Cosgrove, and Nikola Katic respectively. We have to be more alert when crosses come into the area as it seems to put the frighteners up us to an extent.
Granted, Mannone seems to be positive that Celtic will get the job done against Copenhagen. That’s certainly a plus considering how often he’ll have seen our Europa League rivals in action.
But discipline and organisation will be key. Celtic have shown they have the ability to pick up away results in Europe this season. We’ve managed to lose only one of our seven away matches so far in European competition.
We have the traits to make it one defeat in eight too, but tightening up at the back will be crucial to our chances.
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