CELTIC CAPTAIN SCOTT Brown has backed his side to produce a remarkable comeback as they bid to claw their way past Legia Warsaw in the Champions League third round qualifier on Wednesday.
Ronny Deila’s side trail 4-1 from the first leg after a comprehensive defeat in Poland and face a tough task to make it through to the final play-off qualifying stage of Europe’s elite club competition.
But the Scottish champions can draw hope from last season’s 3-0 home win against Shakhter Karagandy, which took them into the group stages after falling 2-0 behind in the first leg, and Brown is backing his teammates to emulate that great escape.
“It’s going to be hard because we need three goals and we need to show them how good we are. But I believe we can do it,” Brown said.
“The Shakhter game last season was huge for us — we scored three goals then and we have to do it again this week.”
Brown will once again be sidelined due to a hamstring injury he sustained in pre-season and in his absence Celtic suffered a heavy defeat in the Polish capital after taking an early lead.
Defender Efe Ambrose was sent off in the first half and the result, defeat in the first competitive game under new Norwegian manager Deila, could have been much worse but for two missed penalties from the hosts.
The return leg will be played at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium as work continues on Celtic Park following its use in the Commonwealth Games.
And Brown says the Celtic players will want to use the match to prove the critics who have written off their chances wrong.
“Everyone knows it was a disappointing result and it was hard to take but we’ve got a chance here to go and put it right and I’m sure we will,” the midfielder said.
“The players have to stay positive. It’s always difficult after a defeat like last week but the lads have been working hard since then, listening to the gaffer, watching videos and it’s going to be a great game.
“We’ll need our top players to play well, and I’m sure that’s what they’ll do.
“It always hurts when people write you off, but that’s football. People always write you off.
“That’s when you have to put the wrongs right and go out there and show everyone what you can do.
“You can prove a point to everyone out there on the field.”
The bookies don’t get it wrong often. Legia 1/6 to qualify. These boys are no small team from Kazakhstan, like last years opponents.
Hopefully the bhoys can turn this around, unlikely though
#COYBIG
Go home Scott you’re drunk..
Makes pats result seem not so bad
5-0 at home looks great alright
Ridiculous this isn’t live on tv.. How are people with families in this day and age supposed to take two days off work, book flights and hotel.. Even supporters in Glasgow are finding it hard finishing work and making their way to Edinburgh for in time for kick off.. Celtic should take these things into account before they refuse to sell the rights..
That’s easy David. Support a LOI team. That way u get to see them every week instead of watching them on Sky Sports or flying out 2or 3 times a season to see them play. U can’t really feel part of the club , can u?…
How can I not feel part of the club? There as Irish as they are Scottish. We all know who founded them and why.. I’ve been going over to Glasgow the past 20 years to watch them, all my friends are Celtic supporters and I’ve made many more friends by going across all these Years..
It’s that kind of telling people what to do puts people off the LOI
I agree they were founded by an Irishman over 125 years ago. But out of the 92 English league clubs plus hundreds of non league clubs surely a small number of them were founded by Irishmen too. I don’t see Barnsley or Northampton or Bishop Auckland fans flying Tricolours and singing Irish rebel songs at their games. When I look at a map I find Glasgow in Scotland. The whole ‘Celtic till I die ‘ thing is lost on me. By the way , Rovers Bohs Pats Sligo Dundalk Derry & Cork City etc. were all DEFINITELY founded by Irishmen. So if that’s the criterion for following Celtic why not nail ur colours to one of their masts?..
@Gerry that’s probably because the cities you listed off do not have huge Irish populations.. When Brother Walfrid founded Celtic Glasgow saw a huge influx of Irish people due to the famine. So today half the people who live in Glasgow claim to have irish heritage.. I don’t get why Irish people have a hang up with irish people supporting Celtic..
I really don’t have a hang up with Irish people following Celtic. I was in Celtic Park in the mid eighties when Rovers were drawn against them in the old European Cup and we were all made very welcome. Rovers and Celtic fans actually mixed together in the pubs afterwards. I certainly hope they get through tonight and into the group stages. But I can’t understand irish people putting them above LOI clubs in their affections. But that’s the beauty of a democracy where freedom of choice prevails! Best of luck tonight. The REAL Hoops are at home to Derry Fri night!
@Gerry if you are a Rovers fan than you know very well that a good majority of Rovers fans regularly make the trips to Glasgow. I could name you 9 or 10 that I know that I’d often meet over there
I agree. It doesn’t mean I agree with it or intend joining them . To each his own. It’s just not for me.
David support your local team and stop spending ur money in the uk. Just a thought.
Why should he?
Couldn’t agree more Gerry, this country is obsessed with British football, look at all the uproar about phil neville on the bbc.
Celtics an Irish club, plz. Why not support Warsaw? they’re more polish in Ireland than Scottish!
Dublin decider last year, cringe fest! Lazy, plastic, bandwagon fans!
Very true Michael. We better hold our tongues though . Celtic have just been battered again. By the same aggregate score Legia beat Pats by. The plastics will be distraught this night.
Why should you expect someone to stop supporting they love just to support a team in Ireland just because their from your country?
“You can change your religion, but not your football team”
Irish people who can’t even speak their own language calling celtic fans plastic.. ultimate pot kettle
true
Could have been worse for Celtic, they where played off the park by Legia who missed two pens as well.
Scottish football only going one way and the best thing for Celtic is if Rangers win the 1st division at their first attempt.
Terrible standard of football.
Scott Black
Is it on tv?