Brendan Rodgers has warned his Celtic players they must avoid seeing red against Lazio on Tuesday if they are to have a chance of keeping their European campaign alive beyond Christmas.
The Hoops have taken just one point from their four Champions League matches so far and need to win in the Stadio Olimpico and hope Atletico Madrid defeat Feyenoord in order to go into their final match against the Dutch side with a chance of progressing to the knockout phase of the Europa League.
Celtic’s cause has not been helped by the fact they have had three players sent off in their two away games – Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm in the 2-0 defeat in Rotterdam and Daizen Maeda in the first half of their 6-0 thrashing in Madrid.
Rodgers is adamant there can be no repeat of such indiscipline in Rome.
“What is important for us is making sure we have 11 men on the field,” said the Hoops boss. “In our two away games we’ve been down to nine men and then 10 men.
“At this level, that’s a big ask. For us, it’s about keeping our players on the field, playing the level of football that we know we can and have shown, and hopefully we get our breaks in the game.
“I think we learned that over the course of the competition, against Lazio and the other teams, that we can really compete when we are 11 vs 11.”
Celtic have not won away in the Champions League since defeating Anderlecht 3-0 more than six years ago, but Rodgers is optimistic his team can get the victory they require in the Italian capital.
“We have two games left, we know what we have to do,” he said. “We’re going to give it everything to achieve the victories we need.
“I’m excited by it, I’m really looking forward to seeing us play. I think we can get the result that we want but we know we have to work very, very hard.”
Rodgers is relishing the prospect of seeing his team run out at the Stadio Olimpico as they bid to avenge the 2-1 defeat they suffered at home to Lazio at the start of October.
“You play football to play in the best stadiums, in the best atmospheres,” he said. “When I was here before, the atmosphere was amazing and I expect it to be the same this time.
“It’s a really iconic stadium. You always expect the supporters to get behind the home team. I always say the louder the opponents cheer, the harder we run, so hopefully we run very hard.”
Celtic will be without key wide players Luis Palma, Liel Abada and Maeda, but James Forrest is back in contention after missing Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Motherwell.
Defender Liam Scales is confident about the Scottish champions’ prospects of victory.
“If we win the two games we give ourselves a right chance so that’s what we’re looking to do,” he said. “We do believe we can do it. We’ve come close enough, we’ve gone toe-to-toe with teams and just come out on the wrong side of the results.
“Away wins in Europe are hard to come by and if we can do that here it would be amazing for us as a group to kick on and believe that we can do it again in the last game.”
Former Shamrock Rovers defender Scales, who spent last season on loan at Aberdeen, is revelling in the Champions League experience.
“I’m taking it all in, taking as much of it in as I can because you don’t know how many of these experiences you’re going to have playing in these stadiums against this level of opposition,” said the 25-year-old.
“Before the games I try and take a second to take it all in and then I get into game mode.”
World Cup Girlz back in the fold? Gilbert hints at return of experienced players for Brazil friendlies
For the first time in almost nine months, it seems as if Jamaica’s interim Reggae Girlz Head coach Xavier Gilbert will have members of the World Cup squad at his disposal, when they visit Brazil for a two-match friendly international series in June.
The Girlz, who first locked horns with Brazil, and lost 0-3, at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, went one better at last year’s global showpiece in Australia, as they not only held the South American giants to a goalless stalemate, but also ensured their elimination at the group stage.
By all indications, that performance, and by extension, the fact that the Girlz made an historic appearance in the knockout stages of the World Cup, earned them even more respect from the number 10-ranked Brazilians, who are currently in preparation for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
The games, scheduled for June 1 and 4, are expected to assist Brazil in their preparation, while the now 42nd-ranked Jamaicans will get a much-needed test to regain their appetite for international competition, having last sported the nationals colours against Canada last September.
Since that Olympic qualifying fixture in Canada, members of the World Cup squad withdrew their services from national representation, citing lack of payment and mistreatment from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), among their reasons.
While it is yet to be confirmed how many, if any, of the World Cup players will make the trip, Gilbert gave the clearest indication yet that there might be a few, as he welcomed the games, after not utilizing the last FIFA window.
“It is always important to secure games during the international window. It not only assists in exposing players, but it also ensures the team is active, which helps our rankings, and also our quality of play. Because as you know, the more we play together, especially against quality opponents, the better the team becomes, and we also get to work on different things both offensively and defensively,” Gilbert told SportsMax.TV.
“The expectation is for us to give a good account of ourselves, it has been a while since these players have played together, but the good thing is that they are actively engaged in their respective leagues in Europe and United States. So, it is not like they were inactive, and obviously, it is not the first time they will be playing together.
“So, we just have to keep things as simple or as close to what we did prior to, and during the World Cup, to make sure we are competitive. It is going to be a little bit different, but it’s not far-fetched that we can get another positive result against Brazil,” he added.
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Athletic Bilbao: Hosts close in on top-four finish
Atletico Madrid beat newly crowned Copa del Rey winners Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at home in LaLiga on Saturday as Diego Simeone's side moved a step closer to a top-four finish.
Fourth-placed Atletico moved onto 64 points and have increased their advantage over Athletic, in fifth, to six points with five games to play.
Midfielder Rodrigo de Paul put Atletico in front in the 15th minute with a goal from outside the box. After controlling an attempted clearance from the visitors, his effort dipped just under the bar as his strike deflected off one of the Athletic defenders.
Athletic levelled just before half-time through Nico Williams after Antoine Griezmann lost the ball through a careless pass.
But Angel Correa restored the lead for Atletico in the 52nd minute and later came close to scoring again.
With 10 minutes to play, away goalkeeper Unai Simon inadvertently made it 3-1 with an own goal after Samuel Lino’s effort came back off the post, ending any Athletic hopes of a comeback.
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town: Tigers fight back three times to deny Tractor Boys
Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into an automatic promotion spot as play-off-chasing Hull City came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 Championship draw at The MKM Stadium.
Ipswich knew a victory would take them second after Leeds United were surprisingly beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday, and they led on three separate occasions, George Hirst opening the scoring before Omari Hutchinson produced two brilliant strikes from the edge of the area.
However, buoyed by slip-ups from rivals Norwich City and West Brom earlier on Saturday, Hull dug deep to fight back on each occasion, Ozan Tufan and Liam Delap scoring their first two equalisers.
With Liam Rosenior's men 3-2 down with just four minutes to play, substitute Noah Ohio blasted his shot in off the crossbar to punish an error from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
The result keeps Ipswich behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference, though the Tractor Boys have a game in hand to come at Coventry City on Tuesday.
Hull, meanwhile, are two points adrift of the top six, with Norwich's goal difference advantage meaning their top-six spot is all but assured. The Tigers will, however, leapfrog West Brom if they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day and Albion lose to Preston North End.
Data Debrief: Hutchinson's best not enough
Hutchinson was a man who deserved to be on the winning side on Saturday, giving Ryan Allsop no chance with two near-identical left-footed strikes from the right corner of the penalty area.
His goals came from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.6, and he led all players on the pitch for shots (eight) and passes in the final third (21), also laying on three chances for his team-mates.
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