Why Celtic will beat Udinese
If you have read my previous posts on here you will know that I have suggested that Udinese is our best chance of getting something from this group.
Their main threat is Antonio Di Natale, but without him they don’t score a lot of goals. Di Natale is now being rested for this game and I think this means they are content with a draw. I would also think that most opposing coaches would fancy their chances of beating us at their stadium and would be happy with a point at Celtic Park.
Four points from the home and away league almost guarantees they would finish ahead of us. So to me it looks like Udinese will sit back and maybe hit us on the counter but they are overlooking the Fortress Paradise effect.
Over the years we have hosted the elite of Europe at Celtic Park and created many memorable nights in the process. When Martin O’Neill took over as boss in 2000, he initiated Fortress Paradise where we would not only become formidable at home in European competition, but we would win.
During his tenure we only lost one game to Barcelona while we defeated the likes of Juventus, Lyon and of course Barca themselves in the 2003-04 Uefa Cup. By the end of 2005 Celtic Park was famous for being a place no team in Europe wanted to play. Gordon Strachan continued this winning ethos and Manchester Utd and AC Milan joined the list of great teams to lose here.
We had a bad season under Tony Mowbray’s ill-fated campaign and lost three at home, ironically though he managed to have the best away record of a Celtic manager in this time frame with a win away to Dinamo Moscow and draws with Hamburg and Rapid Vienna.
Neil Lennon however has us getting positive results again, although the standard of opposition has not been as high, two wins and a draw has been a good start. I feel that will continue tonight.
Home record since 2000
Martin O’Neill 2000-05 PLD 26 W 19 L 01 D 06 Win% 73
Gordon Strachan 2005-09 PLD 12 W 08 L 01 D 03 Win% 66
Tony Mowbray 2009-10 PLD 05 W 01 L 03 D 01 Win% 20
Neil Lennon 2010-12 PLD 03 W 02 L 00 D 01 Win% 66
Total 2000-12 PLD 46 W 30 L 05 D 11 Win% 65
Another thing to consider is that there is not as much pressure on the Bhoys as there was during the FC Sion game. Even with a defeat tonight there is still a chance to get through and no one is expecting much anyway.
I have a feeling, call it optimism if you want, that Fortress Paradise will be important tonight and we will get a win out of this.
We have entertained better teams than Udinese before and sent them home empty handed, Barcelona twice, Arsenal, Hamburg and Dinamo Moscow are the only teams to beat us a Celtic Park since 2000. I can’t see Udinese joining that list when they don’t even have a striker playing for them.
Predictions
Celtic 1-0 Udinese
Stade Rennes 1-1 Athletico Madrid
CLICK HERE for Neil Lennon and players praise the Green Brigade
CLICK HERE for Broadfoot the ugly boy from Rangers
Follow Video Celts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube