Carlo Ancelotti's stunning act for Ange Postecoglou ahead of showdown
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has praised the playing style of Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic outfit ahead of Wednesday morning’s (AEDT) Champions League showdown between the two sides.
Postecoglou has the Hoops humming early in the season, with six wins from six matches to start their Scottish Premiership campaign.
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They’ve found the back of the net on 25 occasions and conceded just once - a fact not lost on Ancelotti.
“They play very intense. They have had a great start to the season, there will be a great atmosphere in their stadium," Ancelotti said.
“We’ve got the most difficult game of this first half of the season. We’re going to be up against a team playing great football and we have to be ready.
“I know that Celtic is not going to change their style, their attitude on the pitch. They want to play attacking football and this is absolutely the normal at their house.
"We are not worried to defend because if we defend well, then I think (we are) fine.”
There's a script spanning all 57 years of Ange Postecoglou's life that leads to a single moment tomorrow and while logically it doesn't make much sense to predict a Celtic win, you can't help but be caught up in the majesty of the occasion. Some night ahead - win, lose or draw.
— John McGinley (@jhnmcgnly) September 5, 2022
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has never won at Celtic Park! 😱
Can he change the tide tomorrow? #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/6rHs2sp2Fm— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) September 5, 2022
Ancelotti on Celtic: "Tuesday's game will be our most difficult so far this season. We are playing a team who are in terrific form, we'll have to be ready."
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) September 3, 2022
Celtic buzzing after Old Firm derby thumping
Celtic are flying high after dishing out a 4-0 drubbing to Glasgow rival Rangers over the weekend.
While an encounter with the reigning European Champions represents a considerable step-up in quality of opposition for Celtic, Postecoglou has made it clear his men will not be taking any backward steps.
“If we’re not successful, fair enough, but let’s go down swinging, rather than deferring to someone because they’re a good team,” Postecoglou told The Sunday Post.
“What a great opportunity to play our football. Our supporters want us to take the game to Real Madrid, and see where it takes us. Let’s have a crack anyway.
“Maybe if I was German, Dutch or Spanish, people might look at me differently as a manager in terms of tactics.
“Apparently, I’ve got one simple approach, a ‘Plan A’, but we’ll just stick to that.”
There will no doubt be an electric atmosphere within Celtic Park for the clash, which marks the Glasgow club’s first Champions League appearance since 2017.
"We get 60,000 in here. It is hard-earned money they are putting in,” Postecoglou said.
“What they want with that hard earned money is not the satisfaction of them paying a bill.
“It gives them something in their life that money can’t give them anywhere else. Tuesday night is a night for that.”
In Celtic’s favour, is the fact an Ancelotti-coached team has never won at Celtic Park. Famously, former Socceroos striker Scott McDonald scored the winner for Celtic against Ancelotti’s AC Milan outfit in 2007.
“Yes, it is true, it has not been a really good stadium for me and my teams in the past,” Ancelotti said.
“I don’t have a clear memory of being here. We played Celtic twice in the group stages and once in the last 16 when we were able to win in Milan after extra-time.
“What can I say? This has been a really difficult stadium for me and my teams in the past, but it is a fantastic atmosphere. I love that my teams can play in this atmosphere.”
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