Thursday 22nd February 2018 Kick off 1800hrs Zenit St Petersburg v Celtic Football – Europe – Europa League Celtic were able to carve out an important first leg lead when these two met in Glasgow a week ago and the result means the Scottish Champions make the trip to Russia with the tie hanging in the balance. Zenit were always going to be somewhat rusty following the winter break but even at that, they would have been disappointed with their performance. A place in the last 16 awaits one of these teams and both will be going all out to ensure they are in Friday’s draw.
Roberto Mancini was very disappointed with his team’s performance in the first leg of this tie and made it known after the game in various press interviews. His frustration is understandable as it was a very pedestrian display for a team who had previously been very strong in the Europa League. There’s no doubt that coming straight out of a winter break would have had a big impact as no matter how many friendly games they played during that break, they would never have been enough to recreate the game level sharpness required for this level. The Zenit players were immediately whisked off to Rome to train in hotter climates ahead of the return and Mancini would have been using the break to get everything spot on for a game where they are expected to do much better. Their home record in this competition has been very good down the years and it’s something they can definitely take confidence from as they bid to turn this around. Although Zenit’s participation in the Europa League has interwoven with competing in the Champions League, they have never lost a meaningful game at home. Defeats to Bayer Leverkusen in 2008 (when they won the whole thing) and against Bnei Yehuda in this year’s qualification are offset by the fact they progressed from both courtesy of the away result. Having lost the first leg they know that nothing other than a win will do this time around.
It could hardly of been a better night for Brendan Rodgers and Celtic last week as they turned in arguably the performance of their season. Callum McGregor’s late goal was the least that the Scottish Champions deserved for dominating a disappointing Zenit team. The Hoops had a plethora of good opportunities to score before they eventually managed the only goal of the game and if Rodgers has one regret it’s that the lead they take to Russia is only one. Whether that will be enough or not remains to be seen but keeping a clean sheet may just be as important in terms of their chances of progressing. It has been mixed fortunes for Celtic on their travels in Europe so far this season with a couple of very heavy defeats to PSG and Bayern Munich, mixed in with good away displays against Anderlecht and Rosenborg. In terms of their record in the Europa League then there is reason for optimism in spite of a lack of wins. Their last nine away matches in this competition have yielded six draws and three defeats, and two of those defeats would have meant they would either have progressed or at least taken the tie to extra time. That’s the beauty of the score line that the Hoops have as they know a draw definitely does them, and they can even afford a one goal defeat providing they score that vital away goal.
The temperatures are expected to plummet to around -18 degrees for this game but all inside the Stadion Krestovskyi will be delighted to know that the roof will be closed so conditions inside will be much more pleasurable. Around 1000 Celtic fans are expected to make the trip but they were be vastly outnumbered by the home support who will look to create a fearsome atmosphere – much like the Celtic supporters managed last week. Zenit goalkeeper Andrey Lunev has already sent out the rallying call to his supporters to do just that.
Zenit St Petersburg v Celtic Betting Tip
There’s no doubt that Celtic deserved to take a lead into the second leg and it’s also fair to say that Zenit will have to vastly improve if they are to turn things around and progress as many expected when the draw was made towards the end of last year. It’s hard to imagine them being anywhere near as passive – as they were for long spells in the first leg – this time around and Mancini will definitely be demanding an improved display from the outset. Celtic have that quandary that many teams playing away from home with a slender lead have – do they stick or twist? Rodgers men will take confidence from the number of opportunities they created a week ago and may fancy themselves to score at least once, however history would also show that Celtic are likely to concede when playing away from home in Europe.
I have alluded to their excellent record in this competition but Zenit have struggled at times at home this season under Mancini. Two defeats in the domestic lead before the winter break is not something you come to expect such has been their dominance in the Russian league. Zenit have redeemed themselves somewhat in the Europa League with three wins in the group stage. All three of those games ended with both teams to score, however, and only one of them (the 3-1 win against Rosenborg) would be good enough to see them through against Celtic. The visitors aim has to be to score that vital away goal and it’s certainly not beyond them. Only Bayern Munich have prevented them scoring away from home in this year’s Champions League, whilst the 1-0 defeat to Inter at this stage three years ago is the only time in their last nine away Europa League matches that they have not scored. Whether one away goal is enough to see them progress is to be determined, but both teams to score is the way to go on this occasion.
Both teams to score Evens @ Paddy Power
