Rennes vs Celtic
Europa League Group E
5:55pm Thursday 19th September
Stade de la Route-de-Lorient
Rennes head trainer Julien Stephan believes since he warned his staff that getting out of their team could be harder than last 34, Celtic are very close to Europa League rivals Lazio’s grade.
Celtic kick their group campaign in Brittany on Thursday while their Champions League conquerors, Cluj, take about the Italians.
Rennes reached the last 16 last season, finishing and behind Dinamo Kiev, prior to beating Real Betis and losing to Arsenal.
But Stephan said:”It will be totally different group from this past year, we think it’s a stronger team. They’re utilized to winning national names they have won eight titles in a row.
“They’re a group who are generally at the Champions League and they have huge experience with many internationals.
“We know they can play at the atmosphere and they are extremely technical. They’re a very, very great team and have technical players such as (Callum) McGregor, (Ryan) Christie, (James) Forrest, merely to mention a couple.
“They are nicely balanced and we understand how hard it’s going to be we are lucky to perform at home and the supporters are going to play a big role in a potential win for us.
“I really do believe Celtic are one of the favorites. So far as expertise they should be in a position to carry out well, perhaps just behind Lazio.”
Rennes sit second in the table Paris Saint-Germain during their opening five matches although stephan has lost half of the group that won the Cup this year.
“it is a new team, a new year, there’s a new story to be informed and we need to construct a narrative with a new group,” he said. “We can not compare this year with last year, last year is history.
“We’re in the process of fixing and the group is slowly evolving. We have had a very good start in the league and we need to take it in to Europe.”
After sustaining a head injury against Hamilton christopher Jullien was declared fit for the match.
The Frenchman and Marios Ogkmpoe and medical attention clashed before he had been forced off.
If Neil Lennon opts to rest Jullien hatem Abd Elhamed is pushing for a beginning, after picking up a marathon knock however, Leigh Griffiths did not travel.
Rennes dropping 1-3 away from the 2011-12 Europa League group stages and are winless in both of the previous encounters at home, drawing 1-1 with Celtic.
Celtic are winless in their last seven off European matches against French resistance (D2 L5) since beating Nantes 3-1 from the 1966-67 European Cup last 16, en route to winning the trophy.
Adding qualifiers, Rennes have lost only one of the last 15 home games in European competitors (W8 D6), heading down 1-2 against Dynamo Kiev in last year’s Europa League group stage.
Back in Champions League along with also Europa League matches united, Celtic have won just three of their 45 away team stage matches (W3 D11 L31), with a few of those victories coming in last season’s contest (1-0 in Rosenborg).
The James Forrest of celtic has scored this season, including in both legs of their Europa League qualifying victory against AIK.
Rennes have begun well in Ligue 1. I am hoping that M’Baye Niang will not be playing. He’s lightning quick a lesser variant of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. These guys move and can play, and that is what Celtic struggle against.
Celtic is going to be helpful about the counter-attack, however their reputation is always exactly the same. They get frightened when they go away from your home. They don’t understand if to perform with a sport or not and where to pitch their defence.
They pace out wide, in which they’ll look to exploit and are going to have talented players. Celtic won’t threaten here and have traumas that are defensive.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
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