Still A Chance To Progress
By Ed_ScottishFitba
Updated Tuesday, 25th November 2008
While there is a chance Celtic on progressing in the Champions league, the side will keep focussed on just one game at a time.
Celtic are only looking to themselves tonight when they play Aalborg in the Energi Nord Arena. The target of achieving the club's first away win in the Champions League is more important to manager Gordon Strachan than the the favour needed from Manchester United at Villarreal for Celtic to remain interested in Europe's top club competition. Strachan does not need reminded that Celtic have taken just one point from a possible 51 in their Champions League group phase matches away from Parkhead. At the moment, tonight teams are at the bottom of the Group E table tied on two points. However, an away win tonight is no guarantee of a last-16 spot for the third year in succession. Manchester United have to win at Villarreal in Spain in the other game and Celtic would have to secure a win over the Spanish club at Parkhead on match day six.
Strachan will be concentrating on what he can influence than worry about the result in Villarreal. He said: "We will just get through the game and see what happens. We do that all the time. You are talking to a man who didn't realise we had qualified for the last 16 (two seasons ago) when we beat Manchester United, so I think that says it all. It's a game in which Aalborg can get a home win and Celtic can get an away win. Both are capable of winning. I watched the tape of Aalborg against Villarreal, they gave them a good game and they are a very good side who are playing well at the moment. We try and attack everywhere we go so it will be no different and we will play the game as we see it."
Aalborg were thought to be the weakest team in the group when the draw was made but against the odds they drew 0-0 at Celtic Park in the first game when goalkeeper Karim Zaza saved a first-half penalty from Barry Robson. Strachan is in no mood to mull over his side's poor start to this season's competition. He said: "You can't beat yourself up with things like that. Aalborg put up a good show that night. We had the chance to win with the penalty and we made far more chances than we did against Copenhagen, the last Danish side we played against. So we can't complain. We admired Aalborg's character that night."
The Celtic manager confirmed that midfielder Aiden McGeady is in with a chance for a start against Aalborg after missing the last five games with a calf injury. Strachan said: "A couple of guys are here to give support to the team. You can forget Marc Crosas and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink but Aiden will have a try out at training. We will also keep an eye on Barry Robson, Paul Hartley and Shunsuke Nakamura." | Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba.net)
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