Celtic will play in front of one of the smallest ever crowds in their European history when they face Shakhter Karagandy on Tuesday.
The match has been switched to the 30,000 capacity national stadium, the Astana Arena, which is 200 km away from Karagandy.
Yesterday just 3,000 fans watched the top of the table clash between Astana and Shakhter Karagandy which the visitors won 2-1 to draw level with Astana in second place, three points behind leaders Aktobe.
Less than half that amount are expected for Tuesday’s Champions League play-off tie.
Garry Parker watched yesterday’s game and will bring Neil Lennon upto speed with Karagandy after Celtic arrived in Kazakhstan this morning.
Celtic flew out from Aberdeen at 6pm yesterday with Lennon leaving nothing to chance ahead of the most important games of the season.
The recovery day on Sunday is going to be really important after the game and after the flight,” the Celtic boss explained. “We will probably bring our own water and we may bring our own chef to make sure the food is OK as well but by all accounts where we are going is quite Westernised.
“It’s just a question of keeping the guys as fresh as we can. There’s going to be a big time difference and a long flight. So getting them up and about on the Sunday is going to be important.”
While Celtic adapt for their game on Tuesday night Karagandy will face the same issues when they visit Glasgow next week.
Close to 60,000 fans are expected for the return match with Lennon confident that Celtic can take advantage of those factors next week.
“I’m not convinced they will travel well,” the Celtic boss added. “If we’re in the tie coming back then we’ll have a chance of qualification. They’ve got to come here and I think home advantage, with everything to play for, we’ll be heavy favourites if the tie is tight.”
Let me get this right…
We’re about to play a team in a European competition…although they’re based in Asia…??
And they’re having to switch grounds ‘cos theirs ain’t up to UEFA standards….??
Who makes up these mental rules…??
I hope Celtic do something about this…
All about money. If there was no oil in K’stan there would be no CL.Its a disgrace there are no African teams.
I’ve been making same points. Spot on mate. It’s mad!
I can’t believe how many people r complaining about opposition. Give me teams of this level every year as it all but guarantees cl qualification. Maybe they’d prefer an arsenal and europa league next season. … This is gift with bows on guys so let the party begin! !!!
4greenfields
Excellent point and why are we only recognising the farce that is UEFA management now. Like all football authorities world wide from FIFA downwards, they are and have been all of my lifetime, which I assure you is not on the short side, a corrupt, money grabbing, useless bunch of self interested, cloned conmen. In the real world one might not be challenged for referring to them using criminal terminology. Did I miss anything? 🙂
H H
Agree we can’t have it both ways. This should be a gimme into the CL league. If we can score the goals we need of course, but that’s a different argument.
Nope I think you got it all pen. Bhoy. But the main point here I think is they say the game isn’t played on paper but it seems to be increasingly played on plastic. And we certainly didn’t play well on elfsborgs plastic. So all the stats and governing body mishaps go out the window. Roll on tues. HH
This is goin to be a tuff game
A couple of years ago we played on a plastic pitch in Moscow. The final of the CL that year was played in the very same stadium, but Yoofa’s rules state the final mist be played on grass.
If the final has to be played on grass then all other games should be played on grass. The same rule should be applied from start to finish.
Celtic will score 6 against this team over the 2 legs hope lennon realises this moyokolo is top notch and keeps him in our side.
Don’t think it will be that easy of a score
Celtic. Will win. 3. V. 0. Hail. Hail
Don’t be too dismissive about this team. They eliminated a half decent outfit called BATE Borisov in the last round who have had some good results in European competition in recent years.
I’m cautiously optimistic, but this game, too, is on a plastic pitch, so anything could happen. Fortunately, as the return leg’s at home we’ll at least know exactly what we have to do.
I watched the highlights of their win against Bate in the earlier round and they looked a poor team who got lucky. A comfortable win overall for the hoops.
As long as he plays moyokolo and van dijk at centre half we will be fine if that ambrose plays we might be in trouble he is Shite and should be no where near the 1st team HH
If we can get a result at a freshly turned over fir park, we can get a result anywhere.
HH
This should be a gimme, nae excuses!.
By the way watched barca last night,Christ!whit a team.
Keith.
Have alook at this video from the 1st leg against Bate. How in gods name they won that game I have no idea and to be honest we have more quality than Bate as well…wait till you see the goal….if I was a bookmaker I wuld be asking for an investigation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuKL5jrb6Co
How ugly they won in the last game is irrelevant ,we are going over there to take no prisoners and play our u know whats off
hail hail
Heard that mob sacrificed a sheep!.
The msm are tucking in as we speak,Greedy bassas!.
Keith.