Shakhtar Donetsk have provided their supporters with a preview of what to expect from Celtic tomorrow night, talking up the job Ange Postecoglou has done in revitalising the club over the last 12 months.
Shakhtar will be in confident mood for the Warsaw clash having started their league campaign in good form as well as thrashed RB Leipzig away from home last week.
Nonetheless, it’s clear they aren’t taking the challenge of Celtic for granted, stating on their official website today: “This summer, Celtic kept all key players and reinforced problematic positions. After a successful loan spell, the contracts of centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers from Tottenham and Portuguese winger Jota from Benfica were bought out.
“The 35-year-old veteran of British football goalkeeper Joe Hart and team captain Callum McGregor remain the leaders of the team. The attacking quartet should also be noted: Liel Abada, Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis.
“The main personnel success of the last year for Celtic was the appointment of head coach Ange Postecoglou. Having joined the Celts in the summer of 2021, the Australian coach returned the championship title to the club and provided the team with spectacular football. Postecoglou is a supporter of the 4–3–3 game scheme. The optimal composition of Celtic today looks like this: Hart, Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Jenz, Taylor, O’Riley, McGregor, Hatate, Abada, Furuhashi, Jota.”
Shakhtar clearly know what to expect and Postecoglou’s staff will have done their homework on them too.
Tomorrow night’s match will undoubtedly be one of the more difficult matches Celtic have faced since Postecoglou came to the club. The first-half performance against Real Madrid last week has hopefully given the players belief that there is nothing to fear.
If Celtic bring the exciting brand of football we know is possible with this group of players, anything can happen in Warsaw.
Anything other than a defeat will set us up well for the rest of the group stage campaign.
In other news, £25m midfielder joins Dani Olmo on Leipzig treatment table ahead of Celtic matches.
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