Who?If Celtic lose to Jablonec then they play the winner of Tobol(Kaz) vs Zilina(Svk)
Who?If Celtic lose to Jablonec then they play the winner of Tobol(Kaz) vs Zilina(Svk)
Why not ? In 1992/93 we done a treble and went unbeaten in Europe , defeating the English champions Leeds and coming within a whisker of the CL final . Doing well in Europe often helps domestic success . We didn’t do too badly in Europe last year either .Probably wouldn’t have done the treble right enough if we had a long European run that year.
That scenario will see us play Saturday, them play Sunday for at least six weeks. Pressure, pressure, pressure.With it looking likely the Tim’s will be in conference, I’m not totally against it. Get them playing Thursday Sunday against a jobbers in Europe. Hopefully hibs and Aberdeen can get in aswell
Id say they are considerably stronger than galatasaray.Olympiacos are no mugs. A very experienced side. I’d say they will be stronger than the Galatasaray side we faced last season.
Who?
Every year this guy does my head in just get the balls out ffs
Sensible postToo much overconfidence from some posters.
If we do face Olympiakos it's be a tough game, 50/50 i'd say.
I'm old enough to remember this lot of sides:
Levski Sofia, AEK Athens, IFK Goteborg, Fenerbahce, CSKA Moscow. Even Malmo.
All put us out on our arse in the qualifiying stages of the Champions League.
We have no place to be writing off anyone.
Who?
They play in Scotland and are known to harbour pedophiles.Who?
Arguably better opposition than we played?They've been back since end June, perhaps a week or 2 before us, played more friendlies than we did arguably against better opposition, and aren't losing too many goals there. Wouldn't read much into their league starting date.
We could be playing Ludogretz.Salzburg were the ones to avoid. Olympiacos are a tough challenge but it's a winnable game.
Ultimately it's the last stage before the CL proper. There was no "Easy" draw and the brief remains the same for Gerrard and the team whoever it is. We've got to earn that spot and Olympiacos are an appropriate challenge to overcome, but we can do it. No fear and approach it the right way.
It's not an easy draw for Olympiacos either.
They've played 1 good team there and got slapped 3-0They've been back since end June, perhaps a week or 2 before us, played more friendlies than we did arguably against better opposition, and aren't losing too many goals there. Wouldn't read much into their league starting date.
He’s certainly done a fair bit of travelling having now played for clubs in Brazil, Russia, France, China, Turkey and Kazakhstan.I love football. Fucking Vagner Love plying his trade in Kazakstan
They've been back since end June, perhaps a week or 2 before us, played more friendlies than we did arguably against better opposition, and aren't losing too many goals there. Wouldn't read much into their league starting date.
RB Salzburg were the toughest team by a distance. If you look at the Olympiakos friendly fixtures, you will see they just got pumped 3-0 by Salzburg.Olympiacos tend to qualify for the CL and get more football from it (drop into UefaLg etc) No one else in the draw does that. That is impressive. It will be a tough tie should we meet them and anyone suggesting otherwise needs to dampen their enthusiasm. They were the toughest team in the draw. It's teams like this we have to beat though and it'll be a great challenge should we make it.
100% agree.Olympiacos tend to qualify for the CL and get more football from it (drop into UefaLg etc) No one else in the draw does that. That is impressive. It will be a tough tie should we meet them and anyone suggesting otherwise needs to dampen their enthusiasm. They were the toughest team in the draw. It's teams like this we have to beat though and it'll be a great challenge should we make it.
For the same reason Rangers of 2016 isnt really relevant to Rangers of 2021100% agree.
Olympiacos record in europe over the past 5 years is far superior to any other team we could have potentially drawn.
Really don't see how people have come to the conclusion this is the easiest draw?
Well is last season relevent?For the same reason Rangers of 2016 isnt really relevant to Rangers of 2021
Yeah it is, which is why teams Like Zagreb and Salzburg are better than them and people on here are happy to get Olympiakos insteadWell is last season relevent?
They qualified for the Champions League group stage and finished third in a group with Porto, Man City and Marsielle as well as winning the Greek league at an absolute canter.
I’d be confident of coming second in that group to be fair, but I kind of agree with your line of thinking.Well is last season relevent?
They qualified for the Champions League group stage and finished third in a group with Porto, Man City and Marsielle as well as winning the Greek league at an absolute canter.
What makes it so obvious that Zagreb and Salzburg are better but?Yeah it is, which is why teams Like Zagreb and Salzburg are better than them and people on here are happy to get Olympiakos instead
Theres not much between any of the teams in the playoffs but Zagreb were class in the Europa League last season knocking out spurs and both them and Salzburg were only knocked out by the eventual winners. Salzburg had a much tougher CL Group too and still managed 3rd place. Id argue both their squads are clearly stronger than Olympiakos too.What makes it so obvious that Zagren and Slazburg are better but?
I just don't get how people are jumping to this conclusion.
Devils advocate here, Salzburg only took points off Lokomotive in their CL a group but I do agree with pretty much everything they’ve said.Theres not much between any of the teams in the playoffs but Zagreb were class in the Europa League last season knocking out spurs and both them and Salzburg were only knocked out by the eventual winners. Salzburg had a much tougher CL Group too and still managed 3rd place. Id argue both their squads are clearly stronger than Olympiakos too.
Substantially Better than them imo, gala are a shadow of what they wereI see Olympiakos as the same sort of calibre as Galatasaray and we were brilliant v them. Never gonna be easy no matter who we play, and we still have Malmö first, but I back our boys all the way.
Friendlies mean nothing. There is no comparison to be made based on friendlies. I'd say RB and Olympiacos are of a similar standard but going by the Greeks record over the last decade I'd want to avoid a game in Athens in summer against a side who play well at home and have a very strong record of getting through these qualifying ties. It'll be tough whoever...Malmo will be tough as well.RB Salzburg were the toughest team by a distance. If you look at the Olympiakos friendly fixtures, you will see they just got pumped 3-0 by Salzburg.
Friendlies mean nothing. There is no comparison to be made based on friendlies. I'd say RB and Olympiacos are of a similar standard but going by the Greeks record over the last decade I'd want to avoid a game in Athens in summer against a side who play well at home and have a very strong record of getting through these qualifying ties. It'll be tough whoever...Malmo will be tough as well.
Agreed.Substantially Better than them imo, gala are a shadow of what they were
I knew they had a good record didnt know it was quite as many as 20 out ofNot gonna be easy, Olympiacos have qualified for the CL 20 times in the past 23 years. It is however the best draw we could have got, due to the current state of their squad
You look at the Olympiacos starting XI that lost to PAOK in the cup final last season for a good idea of how strong they’ll be.Agreed.
Was a very favourable draw for us, big name and big name players - but not actually very good.
Exactly this.Olympiacos tend to qualify for the CL and get more football from it (drop into UefaLg etc) No one else in the draw does that. That is impressive. It will be a tough tie should we meet them and anyone suggesting otherwise needs to dampen their enthusiasm. They were the toughest team in the draw. It's teams like this we have to beat though and it'll be a great challenge should we make it.
It’s a ridiculously hard pathway to the CL. Olympicos is by far the hardest draw we could have had. We have zero luck in this years draw.
Agree wholeheartedly, obviously the finances and the glamour of the Champions Leagues trumps the Europa but as a tournament I prefer it as you have a chance of playing more teams we haven’t faced before, albeit less sexy names but more of a chance of beating these teams and progressing, as proven with us topping our group last year.I had that very conversation about the EL versus the CL this morning Davie, but given where the club has been, and still is to an extent, financially I really would like us to get there, even though the football wouldn’t be as enjoyable from our selfish point of view.
Agree wholeheartedly, obviously the finances and the glamour of the Champions Leagues trumps the Europa but as a tournament I prefer it as you have a chance of playing more teams we haven’t faced before, albeit less sexy names but more of a chance of beating these teams and progressing, as proven with us topping our group last year.
If we both go through, we”ll be favourites. It’ll be a hard tie but let’s not kid ourselves and build them up to be something their not. It’s the best draw we could have hoped for by far.Exactly this.
If both Olympiakos and ourselves get through then there’s no doubt who the favourites are. However I fancy our chances as we have upset the perceived ‘favourites’ on numerous occasions over the last 3 years in Europe.
This will be a real test for Gerrard and the team but I’ve every faith in them.
First though we have another tricky tie against a team halfway thru their season to negotiate safely!
Dont know any of their players still im pretty sure Rangers would be shorter odds or favs to qualify. Not by much right enough, not huge favs but their record for getting there wont mean very much we can pretty much ignore that.Exactly this.
If both Olympiakos and ourselves get through then there’s no doubt who the favourites are. However I fancy our chances as we have upset the perceived ‘favourites’ on numerous occasions over the last 3 years in Europe.
This will be a real test for Gerrard and the team but I’ve every faith in them.
First though we have another tricky tie against a team halfway thru their season to negotiate safely!