Celtic look to continue the impressive form displayed recently against both Lille and Aberdeen as they entertain Sparta Prague in the third of our Europa League group stage ties tomorrow night.
Outside of long term absentees James Forrest and Christopher Jullian we should have a full complement for the game but it’s a very different story with our guests.
Prague haven’t played a league game since early October and in the last 33 days have only played two Europa League ties suffering heavy defeats at home to Lille (4-1) and away to AC Milan (3-0).
They’ve had to leave behind seven first-team squad players including goalkeeper Milan Heča, star winger Adam Hložek and veteran striker Libor Kozák.
Left-back Matěj Hanousek also didn’t make the trip and that combined with their lack of game time should see us kick-off as big favourites.
It really is a great opportunity to grab our first win of the group and begin a doubleheader that we really need to take at least four points from – maybe six – if we are to stand any realistic chance of progression to the last 32.
Sparta are their countries premier side with 33 Czech First League titles which is significantly more than their city rivals Slavia though they did finish runners up to them last term.
In the end, they finished 22 points behind them in third spot but it’s been a different story this season with six wins from six and twenty goals scored with only six conceded before the league was temporarily put on hiatus back on October 2nd.
The spark for the improvement in form – domestic at least – seems to have been the appointment of Václav Kotal as manager with the veteran 68-year-old stepping up from coaching the B team in the summer.
Under him, they play an attacking brand of football that delivers goals but as seen in the group stages so far it comes with the cost of leaking them at the back against better sides.
Their lack of game time and match sharpness won’t have helped either.
I suspect Neil Lennon will go with the same line-up and formation that looked so good for 55 mins on Sunday at Hampden versus Aberdeen.
If we come out of the traps fast and sharp and go for the jugular then we could try and blow the Czech side away early doors.
Even before their problems came to light I was looking forward to this one anyway based on our recent upturn in performance and even more so now.
They have released some confident soundbites in the media bit are hardly just going to write of their chances.
Indeed just after the group was draw they openly targeted us as the team they could take points from with Kotal describing us as ‘the most accessible team.’
By accessible I’m pretty sure he meant easiest.
That will likely serve as motivation for any pre-game team talk but we really should be raring to go after recent performances.
Hopefully, we can deliver and keep the momentum going.
....Always A Tim! 