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Celtic draw Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow

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Champions League Celtic news

Celtic have been drawn with Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow in Group G of the Champions League

It’ll be a case of deja vu for the Celtic support having played all three sides in the last five years with Aiden McGeady making an emotional return to the ground where he launched his career.

It’s the fourth time in ten years that Celtic have been paired with Barcelona with the Catalans getting the better of the two Champions League ties between the sides after Martin O’Neill’s side knocked Barca out of the 2004 UEFA Cup.

Celtic were drawn against Benfica in the 2006 and 2007 Champions League winning at home 3-0 and 1-0 and losing in Lisbon by the same scores.

In 2007 Celtic beat Spartak Moscow on penalties to reach the group stage after drawing both legs 1-1 with Paul Hartley and Scott McDonald scoring for Celtic.

The draw was made in Monaco today ahead of tomorrow’s Super Cup Final between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

Celtic were in the draw for the first time in four years following their 4-0 aggregate win over Helsingborgs.

Denis Law, Steve McManaman, Ruud Gullit and helped out with the draw in front of a worldwide audience.

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Neil Lennon has just over 24 hours left to strengthen his squad with the hoops boss pushing ahead with his plans as soon as qualification was confirmed.

He said: “We will have a couple lined up and hopefully we can get the medicals done, I don’t know how many, my mind has been occupied (by the game).

“There could be bundles coming in, all wanting to jump on the bandwagon but first and foremost my priority is to the players already here.

“I want to speak to Peter about rewarding some of them, maybe with new contracts. I think they have thoroughly deserved them.

“Some have played way beyond the expectation of them when we brought them in and we want to reward them. They have been very good for me so I want to be good for them.”

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0 comments

  • mick f says:

    A tough group but some great nights ahead. Thank goodness we avoided Group D.

  • Dougie Bhoy says:

    Easy Peasy Lennon Squeazy!! A lot of tough groups but I suppose it could have been worse! C’mon the hoops! HH!

  • paranoidandroid says:

    One could be forgiven for describing this group as challenging. (Under the circumstances one could even be forgiven for using the word one).

    But who cares. We’re back in with the big guys again, and that’s all that matters.

  • stephenpollock says:

    Third place is possible second place a bit tough.

  • Kieran says:

    Fancy our chances in this group, but the others will probably be saying the same thing. Lenny will have us prepared, as he knows that there will be no easy games. I’m feeling quietly confident. We could also be adding a signing or two before the window slams shut.

  • KevinBarry says:

    Been to the camp nou before so no bothered about going there but I’m looking forward to a wee trip to Lisbon tho!

    Bring it on, we fear no one!!!!!!!!!

    HH

  • chris says:

    could have been a worse draw i think but i fancy our chances for 3rd and maybe 2nd if we do well, spartak and benfica arent bad teams but on our nyt at parkhead, we can take them and barca if nerves dont get the better of the players but at the very least, the experience will do every player we’ve got a world of good, and hopefully we get some good results and get the coefficient up, makes it easier for scottish clubs to get into europe next year, HH

  • stevie says:

    We are Celtic we fear no one.
    Bring it on.

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