The Hoops are in must-win territory in their Champions League section as they bid to keep European football hopes after Christmas alive with a famous away day victory.
Celtic train at Parkhead ahead of their Champions League showdown with Lazio in Rome
Celtic are in must-win territory tonight as they look to emulate Neil Lennon’s class of 2019 in Rome.
Olivier Ntcham was the hero that night for the Hoops as his stoppage time winner secured a stunning win over the Serie A outfit to book a spot in the Europa League last 32 stage with two games to spare. No such luxury exists this time around with Brendan Rodgers and his current crop fighting for their European survival after picking up just one point from four games in the Champions League section to date ahead of tonight’s battle at the Stadio Olimpico.
The first meeting between the two was full of drama with Luis Palma – suspended for tonight’s return – denied a late strike with less than 10 minutes to play after Daizen Maeda, another who misses out through injury, got a slight touch on the cross before the Honduran fired home to make it 2-1 before VAR intervened. It set up a tense final stages with Pedro silencing Parkhead and sending the travelling support wild as he headed beyond Joe Hart deep into added-time to secure all three points for the Italians.
Lazio know victory will not only eliminate Celtic completely from the Champions League and Europa League but also boost their own hopes of reaching the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition. It would also hand them the guaranteed fallback of the second tier competition with plenty riding on a huge 90 minutes tonight.
Hoops boss Rodgers faces big decisions in the attacking third with Palma suspended and Maeda injured. It could mean a return to the starting team for James Forrest, who is available for this one after missing out at Motherwell, while Mikey Johnston was a late sub and won the penalty that David Turnbull converted to make it 1-0 before the visitors grabbed a 90th minute leveller. Yang is another who will be pushing for a start with Liel Abada still unavailable for selection.
In the middle of the park Turnbull will be hoping he gets the edge over Odin Thiago Holm and Paulo Bernardo as the trio battle it out to land a spot alongside Matt O’Riley and skipper Callum McGregor in the engine room. At the back Alistair Johnston will likely return at right-back after being rested at the weekend with Anthony Ralston playing the full 90.
Celtic predicted XI to face Lazio: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; O’Riley, McGregor, Turnbull; Yang, Johnston; Kyogo.
