The youngster joined Celtic from Manchester City in the winter transfer window on a loan deal until next summer, and the defender feels Roberts did want to face his parent club in the Champions League. Here’s a look at their European campaign.
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And while Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach’s inclusion arguably makes Group C this year’s “Group of Death”, Messi has explained why Barca have enough experience to know that it would be wrong to take the Scottish Premiership side lightly.
This will be the eighth time Celtic has been represented in the Group Stage of Europe’s elite competition and their first since the 2013/14 season. Now he takes his latest club to the Nou Camp on October 19.
The threat of a breakaway European Super League had appeared significant earlier this year, and Press Association Sport reports that the biggest push for change has come from Spain and Italy, the nation that looks set to benefit the most from the adjustment.
The quality of Barcelona is not only known to Guardiola but the entire footballing world.
Points will be yielded for past European titles yet weighted towards later achievement in the Champions league and Europa League.
Dortmund knocked Real Madrid out in the 2013 semi-finals thanks to four goals in one game from Robert Lewandowski, before Madrid held on for a 3-2 aggregate win in the quarter finals the next year. “It is an wonderful competition, an fantastic group”.
The 45-year-old wants his side to maintain possession of the ball and that will also be hard against Barca – who are the masters at dominating on that front.
City played the Catalans in the last 16 in 2014 and 2015, losing the ties on both occasions. They deserve it too because they play unbelievable, they did a fantastic year.
The winners of the Europa League are now guaranteed entry into the Champions League group stage – in the old system they would be put into the playoffs unless the Champions League winners had also qualified through their own domestic league.
Legia Warsaw completes the group, becoming Poland’s first team in the Champions League proper in 20 years.
On top of that, new Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has a history with City from his Liverpool days.
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Leicester’s Premier League title defence this term has not got off to an ideal start.
