Rennes vs Celtic
Europa League Group E
5:55pm Thursday September
Stade de la Route-de-Lorient
Rennes head trainer Julien Stephan considers since he warned his staff that getting out of the group would be harder than last season Celtic are very near the caliber of Europa League competitions Lazio.
Celtic kick off their group campaign in Brittany on Thursday while Cluj, their Champions League conquerors, take on the Italians.
Rennes reached the last 16 final season, supporting Dinamo Kiev and finishing ahead of Astana and Jablonec and losing to Arsenal.
However, Stephan stated:”It will be totally different group from this past year, we think it’s a stronger group. They’re utilized to winning national titles they’ve won eight titles in a row.
“They are a group that are usually in the Champions League and they’ve got huge experience with many internationals.
“We know they can play at the atmosphere and they’re very technical. They are a very, very great team and have specialized players such as (Callum) McGregor, (Ryan) Christie, (James) Forrest, merely to mention a couple.
“They are well balanced and we understand how difficult it will be but we are lucky to perform at house and the fans are going to play a major part in a possible win for us.
“I really do believe Celtic are among the favourites. So far as experience they need to be in a position to carry out well, possibly just behind Lazio.”
Stephan has lost half of their group that won the French Cup but Rennes sit next in the table after beating leaders Paris Saint-Germain throughout their five matches.
“It’s a new group, a new year, there’s a brand new story to be informed and we need to build a story with a new group,” he said. “We can not compare this year with last year, this past year’s history.
“We are in the process of fixing and the group is evolving. We have had an excellent beginning in the league and we need to bring it into Europe.”
Christopher Jullien was declared fit to your game after sustaining a head injury.
Before he had been forced off the Frenchman clashed with Marios Ogkmpoe and needed medical attention.
If Neil Lennon chooses to rest Jullien hatem Abd Elhamed is pushing for a beginning, but Leigh Griffiths didn’t journey after picking up a thigh knock.
Rennes losing 1-3 away in the 2011-12 Europa League group stages and are winless in each of the encounters drawing.
Celtic are winless in their last seven off European games against French resistance (D2 L5) since hammering Nantes 3-1 from the 1966-67 European Cup last 16, en route to winning the trophy.
Adding qualifiers, Rennes have dropped one of the last 15 home games in European competitors (W8 D6), moving down 1-2 from Dynamo Kiev in previous season’s Europa League group stage.
Back in Champions League along with also Europa League matches united, Celtic have won only three of their 45 away group stage matches (W3 D11 L31), together with one of those victories coming from last season’s competition (1-0 in Rosenborg).
The James Forrest of celtic has played this season, such as in the two legs of their Europa League qualifying victory against AIK.
Rennes have begun in Ligue 1. I am hoping that M’Baye Niang will not be playing. He’s lightning quick, almost a lesser version of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. These guys move and can play, and that’s what Celtic struggle against.
Celtic will be helpful on the counter-attack, however their standing is always the same. They get frightened when they go away from your home. They don’t know whether to play a squeezing game or not and where to throw their defence.
They will have players and pace out wide, where they’ll look to utilize. Celtic still have injuries that are defensive and will not endanger here.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
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