Celtic v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Pre Season Friendly - Aviva Stadium Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers during the pre-season friendly match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Picture date: Saturday July 29, 2023. Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRL Copyright: xBrianxLawlessx 73168472
Celtic warned “they won’t have the ball” against Feyenoord
Celtic have been warned not to think they’ve won a watch because of Champions League opponents Feyenoord’s injury crisis. The Hoops are set to travel to Rotterdam after our Scottish Premiership match against Dundee this Saturday to kick-off their European adventure on Tuesday night.
It has left many thinking that Celtic could have the opportunity to face a weakened Eredivisie side, but one former Feyenoord player reckons that anyone of that mindset would be wide of the mark. The Dutch champions former star, Karim El Ahmadi, has suggested that there will be no worries if Arne Slot’s striking options are depleted as the Scots won’t have the ball enough to trouble the Rotterdam side!
Speaking to ESPN, El Ahmadi said: “Against Celtic at home, Feyenoord will have the ball a lot. Celtic just won’t have the ball. If you then put Minteh or Paixão in the striker, they will not get a lot of space.
“At home against Celtic you may have to look for a Stengs as a false striker. You could play without a striker.”
When quizzed on how he thinks Feyenoord will line up, he added: “Paixao on the left, as striker, Minteh on the right and then Stengs behind it.”
Celtic might have much more of the ball than El Ahmadi but Brendan Rodgers will settle for his team doing their talking on the park, just as we did at Ibrox in our last match.
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Celtic’s Luis Palma’s mum sports Hoops shirt as she welcomes star home to Honduras
The new arrival signed a five-year contract with the Parkhead squad on August 30. Winger Palma plays for the Honduran national team, scoring once and assisting another goal in their 4-0 win against Granada
Celtic’s Luis Palma was given a true Glasgow homecoming when his mother sported a Hoops shirt during his time back in Honduras.
The new arrival signed a five-year contract with the Parkhead squad on August 30. Winger Palma plays for the Honduran national team, scoring once and assisting another goal in their 4-0 win against Granada on Wednesday.
While back on home soil for the CONCACAF Nations League clash, Celtic’s newest signing shared a sweep snap with his parents and sister, Ashley. Captioned, ‘los amo’, which translates as, I love them’, Palma’s mother is spotted wearing a green and white Celtic F.C shirt.
Ahead of his big move to Glasgow’s east end, his father, Don Enrique, previously revealed his pride and insisted he can’t wait to see him play Champions League football. The Daily Record told how Don Enrique hailed the Champions League as, ‘the world’s greatest tournament’.
He said: “Luis’s biggest dream in his life has always been to play in the Champions League in Europe and now he will get to do that with Celtic. When he called me to tell me about the transfer to Scotland, I told him how proud I was of him. Although I made it clear that it’s important he keeps his feet on the ground because his path still has a long way to go.
“He has matured a lot in recent years. Now he will play in the Champions League – the world’s greatest tournament. I will be a very proud dad.
His beaming father added: “He’s come a long way from when he kicked a ball here. I remember his grandfather giving him into trouble because his football was destroying his vegetable patch. But all he’s ever wanted since he was very young was to kick a football about. His favourite toy was a plastic football that you could buy for just 5 lempira.
“We used to get calls from his school saying he wasn’t in class and was spotted kicking a ball around instead. When he was getting older, we gave a lot of jobs to strengthen him like chopping firewood. We used to pay him in tacos. He made his debut as a 17-year-old for Vida and scored against Progreso in that first game. Since then, it’s been easy for him.”
