Benfica Vs Celtic KO 7.45 TV3 SS2

ColeTrain

Benfica welcomed skipper Luisao back into the fold against Moreirense at the weekend after a two-month suspension and the defensive stalwart may be in contention to replace Ezequiel Garay once again.

Coach Jorge Jesus has a wealth of attacking options to choose from, with Ola John, Eduardo Salvio and Melgarejo all having featured up front for the Portuguese side during the group stages.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon, meanwhile, will be without midfielder James Forrest for a game that could potentially send his side through to the tournament's knockout stages.

The Hoops will have Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras available, however, despite the pair making way during their side's 2-0 win against Aberdeen on Saturday.

Scott Brown, Gary Hooper and Joe Ledley are carrying knocks into the tie, while Lennon could well look to revelatory young striker Tony Watt if he chooses to utilise a more attacking approach.

--

Really looking forward to this game. Avoiding defeat would be a great result for Celtic but a loss still leaves qualification open going into the last game.

Brown, Ledley and Hooper are not fully fit but Lennon stated that he expects two players out of the three to start but will not say who.

ft9

Hopefully Celtic can grab a point here tonight.

First goal will be vital.

Lawrence1895

Would be happy enough with a draw, but i would not complain over a win either...have a Tenner on the Double Chance

DyldeBrill

Lets hope its a win! have them in my 5 team accumulator, bita fun but hopefull The Bhoys will win me a few euro!

Caveman1

I would love to see Celtic get a win tonight, but Benfica away is a tough fixture. I think a draw would be the best Celtic can hope for.

Badabing

2-2 we'll score but so will they Forster again will have to have a massive game.

Madam

2-1 for Celtic - oh to be in Lisbon tonight when they do win;)

RoryMac

I'd be delighted with a draw but it's going to be very tough. It's win or bust for Benfica so we'll probably have to withstand an earlier onslaught. Hopefully we'll do enough for a score draw that will take us through/

super_furry

It's a score draw and a Barcelona win that will take Celtic through, right?

RoryMac

super_furry wrote: »

It's a score draw and a Barcelona win that will take Celtic through, right?

That's the way I understand it anyway

LuckyLloyd

The live Eagle that they release over the pitch before kickoff is always magnificent. An extremely tough place to go. Good luck Celtic! Hope they get a result.

mewso

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The live Eagle that they release over the pitch before kickoff is always magnificent.

Yeah was a good move switching to live eagles instead of the Spike Milliganesque scenes at games before that.

Lawrence1895

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The live Eagle that they release over the pitch before kickoff is always magnificent. An extremely tough place to go. Good luck Celtic! Hope they get a result.

Celtic should release a live Lion, to give the eagle a bit of company

Like in 'Lisbon Lions'

Madam

Lars1916 wrote: »

Celtic should release a live Lion, to give the eagle a bit of company

Like in 'Lisbon Lions'

Or maybe that wee fox who used to live in Parkhead(is he still there I wonder?).

Lets hope Victoria(1 or 2)refuses to fly - what an omen that would be:)

Madam

http://www.celticfc.net/newsstory?item=3378

Awful looking kilts btw.

Dempsey

I'd take a draw now! :P

Its going to be really tough considering the injury problems and how good Benfica are, especially at home. But the fact that we are good at counter attacking & they need a win gives me confidence. Strangely enough I think the worst thing Celtic could do is score early! One just before or after HT would do nicely!

ColeTrain

Ledley, Hooper and Brown all start. No room for Commons.

Celtic starting XI to face Benfica: Forster; Lustig, Ambrose, Wilson, Matthews; Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew; Hooper, Samaras

Pompey Magnus

Well it looks like we have guaranteed European football after Christmas, Barcelona 3-0 up.

ColeTrain

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

Well it looks like we have guaranteed European football after Christmas, Barcelona 3-0 up.

Most of the support would have taken that when the group was drawn. The fact that it's sewn up with two games to go is some going.

A Dub in Glasgo

Just finished my dinner and my wife seems surprised that I am going to plonk myself down on the sofa with the surround sound on and watch Celtic for the evening whilst she will have to watch her soaps in the bedroom!

Come on Celtic!

Dempsey

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Just finished my dinner and my wife seems surprised that I am going to plonk myself down on the sofa with the surround sound on and watch Celtic for the evening whilst she will have to watch her soaps in the bedroom!

Come on Celtic!

fancy bastard! im going to have to watch it on sky go on my phone because its not on setanta!

any terrestrial channels covering the celtic match?

ColeTrain

Dempsey wrote: »

fancy bastard! im going to have to watch it on sky go on my phone because its not on setanta!

any terrestrial channels covering the celtic match?

TV3 have it.

PauloMN

Dempsey wrote: »

fancy bastard! im going to have to watch it on sky go on my phone because its not on setanta!

any terrestrial channels covering the celtic match?

TV3 mate.

SirDelboy18

This would be Lennon's 100 win I hear. To do it on the ground where they won the European Cup seems too sentimenal to pass up a bet on them.

PauloMN

So excited about this one. Great feeling to be on the cusp of a last 16 place. C'mon Celtic, just play like you can and the score will look after itself.

ColeTrain

Interesting to see how we line up. Not sure where Mulgrew fits into the team but if he plays left midfield then it means Samaras will partner Hooper.

Dempsey

ColeTrain wrote: »

TV3 have it.

ah lads, do ye expect me to watch tv3?! :P

Dempsey

ColeTrain wrote: »

Interesting to see how we line up. Not sure where Mulgrew fits into the team but if he plays left midfield then it means Samaras will partner Hooper.

same as barca games i think

SomethingElse

I think tonight is the night that will decide if we play UCL or Europa League football after Christmas. Barcelona will have the group wrapped up if Benfica win tonight, and I could see Benfica turning them over on Matchday 6.

Very attacking bench named by Lennon tonight, planty of options in there from that perspective.

Dempsey

doesnt hartson have a tattoo saying he has 110 goals for celtic?

ActingDanClark

ColeTrain wrote: »

TV3 have it.

Thanks for that! I was watching on a very poor stream

ConorCBS

Going against the crowd but I will be supporting Benfica tonight. Nothing against Celtic and I'd like to see them qualify, but money talks!

PauloMN

Dempsey wrote: »

ah lads, do ye expect me to watch tv3?! :P

I was thinking that when I posted it alright!

Last Resort CSC

PauloMN

Arse. Sloppy from Matthews.

Dempsey

sloppy!

ConorCBS

Great finish!

Will be extremely tough for Celtic to get anything at all now.

henke

Rippin! Looks like were gonna have to do this the hard way.

PauloMN

ConorCBS wrote: »

Great finish!

Will be extremely tough for Celtic to get anything at all now.

Just Benfica getting their bit of the score draw.

Jelle1880

ConorCBS wrote: »

Going against the crowd but I will be supporting Benfica tonight. Nothing against Celtic and I'd like to see them qualify, but money talks!

I... *mumbles something about feeling dirty*... want them to draw :pac:

ConorCBS

Hooper was onside there! Would have been a very promising position for Celtic.

Dempsey

lack of movement when we have the ball and hooper and samaras are doing nothing!

PauloMN

Celtic haven't settled into this yet, very lax at the back compared with the two Barca games where we were much more composed. Need to settle down.

Dempsey

perez got wanyama'd!

has he forgotten that he's playing a contact sport?

keith16

GET IN!

PauloMN

SAMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

SomethingElse

YESSSSS!!

Dempsey

what a ball by mulgrew!

RoryMac

Woop Woop!!

PauloMN

Hooper did brilliant putting the keeper off.

super_furry

Hahaha, you wouldn't see defending like that in the Leinster Senior League. How does no-one even attempt to pick up Samaras?

Rezident

Clever obstruction, serves the divers right. Well worked goal.