Villarreal Vs Celtic

Villarreal Vs Celtic


Champions League Group E
Villarreal vs Celtic
Tuesday 30th September, 2045 CET
El Madrigal, Vila-real, Spain


Villarreal return to European action on Tuesday evening after continuing their excellent league form with a 1-0 win away to Sporting Gijón on Saturday, a result which saw them remain top of La Liga for another week.

They couldn’t have asked for a more positive start to the season, taking thirteen points from a possible fifteen available, which has bolstered claims that they could be one of the many teams that could mount a realistic title challenge this season.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men have the basis of a solid, hard-to-beat team. From the dependable, Euro 2008 winner Marcos Senna to the skilful Santi Cazorla, there is a useful mix of graft and guile that makes them a real threat, especially at the formidable El Madrigal.

Matchday one saw them battle to a hard-earned draw at Old Trafford, despite both Senna and Cazorla missing the match through injury, which is testament to the strength in depth they have in their squad. That result has opened up the group, and with Celtic also drawing their opening encounter this match is crucial for both sides in order to strengthen their position in the section.

On Saturday evening The Yellow Submarines struggled to break down a staunch Sporting Gijón back line, and it took a triumphant return from Giuseppe Rossi, who leapt off the bench after six weeks out with an ankle injury, to notch the winner in the second half. Now that the American-born Italian international is back in the fold, Villarreal have their full compliment fit for the first time this season, which could be bad news for Celtic.

Cautious Celtic

The Scottish champions have one of the worst away records in Champions League history, picking up just one point from all of their campaigns combined. El Madrigal is not the place to be going looking to end that dismal run. They will be disappointed with their home draw to supposed minnows Aalborg in the opening match, and they looked ineffective for long spells, struggling against a side whose players had never been involved in a match in this competition.

However domestically, aside from a home humbling by rivals Rangers, their form has been good. They managed wins away at Kilmarnock and Motherwell, and a last-gasp Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink goal on Saturday beat Aberdeen 3-2. Their strikers are also on excellent form, particularly former Man City striker Georgios Samaras, who has struck four in the Glasgow clubs’ last two away matches.

Celtic usually play a conventional 4-4-2 formation, but going to somewhere as difficult as Vila-real may force them into a tactical reshuffle. In order to stifle the Spanish outfit, Gordon Strachan may sacrifice a striker and play 4-5-1 and operate in a more defensive manner. In this case it may be up to Marcos Senna to dictate the pace and play the killer pass that can unlock the defence.

Who Sennas’ passes will be going to is up for debate. Nihat still doesn’t look match sharp after his long spell out through injury, and with Rossi making a scoring return, it may be the latter that is given the nod to partner Llorente up front.

They are up against one of the best goalkeepers around, however; Artur Boruc showed at Euro 2008 how proficient he is between the sticks, and he is a big game player who relishes these occasions. Villarreal will need to be wary of the dead-ball deliveries of Shunsuke Nakamura, who has an impressive strike-rate from free-kicks, so any fouls in and around the penalty area could be extremely dangerous.

This may be a tight affair. A backs-to-the-wall performance by Celtic will be tough to crack, but Villarreal have enough talent in offensive positions to make the long spells of possession they are likely to have count when it matters most.


TEAM NEWS

Villarreal

Giuseppe Rossi came off the bench to mark his return from injury on Saturday, meaning Villarreal have a full compliment for the match. Indeed there may be some tough decisions to make for the final squad. The likes of Pascal Cygan and Cani were omitted from the 19-man team for the Sporting match, and there could be more difficult decisions for Pellegrini on Tuesday

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Diego López; Angel, Gonzalo, Godín, Capdevila; Pirès, Eguren, Senna, Cazorla; Nihat/Rossi, Llorente

Celtic

Gary Caldwell should return to the starting line-up after serving a suspension in the match versus Aberdeen, meaning Glen Loovens will miss out. Hesselink netted twice against the Dons, and Scott Macdonald also scored meaning if Strachan does indeed go with one striker, he has a big decision to make with all three strikers on good goal scoring form.

Probable Starting XI (4-5-1): Boruc; Hinkel/Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; Nakamura, Brown, Robson,Hartley, Maloney/McGeady; Samaras/Vennegoor of Hesselink

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Villarreal

Giuseppe Rossi is a welcome return. He a talented player with a big future in the game and if on form is a thorn in the side of even the best defences. Celtic will need to be extremely vigilant or else Rossi will finish them off.

Celtic

Georgios Samaras has been in superb form for his side this side, and has the pace and power to be an ideal lone striker if Celtic choose to play that way. He scores with his left, his right, and with his head, and although he didn’t cut it in the Premiership, this could be his opportunity to prove he has what it takes at the highest level.