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Celtic v Ferencvaros: Preview, stats & team news

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Celtic v Ferencvaros: Preview, stats & team news

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Serhiy Rebrov has taken Ferencvaros to successive Hungarian titles
Champions League second qualifying round: Celtic v Ferencvarosi TC
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow Date: 26 August, 2020 Time: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland and follow live on the BBC Scotland website and app

Each have a European trophy – and two further final appearances – to their name, but now just surviving the qualifying rounds would represent success for Celtic or Ferencvaros.

Two years before Jock Stein’s Lisbon Lions were lifting the European Cup in 1967, the Hungarians were seeing off all-comers in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Those triumphs are a distant memory for both clubs, but the Champions League group stage remains a realistic and lucrative target.

Celtic haven’t progressed beyond the qualifiers since 2018, while Ferencvaros’ wait stretches to 25 years. So the stakes are high for their second-round meeting on Wednesday at Celtic Park that will be played behind closed doors and settled on the night.

The Scottish champions began with a 6-0 trouncing of KR Reykjavik last week, while two goals from Norwegian forward Tokmac Chol Nguen gave Ferencvaros a 2-0 victory over Swedish visitors Djurgarden.

What do we know about the Hungarians?

Since taking charge in 2018, former Ukraine and Tottenham Hotspur striker Serhiy Rebrov has led Ferencvaros to successive domestic titles.

They finished 13 points clear when last season ended in June but are short of match practice having played just twice this campaign.

Rebrov’s men had a creditable European campaign last term. They disposed of Bulgarians Ludogorets in the Champions League qualifiers before losing heavily to Dinamo Zagreb.

Having dropped into the Europa League, Ferencvaros then finished third, a point behind Ludogorets, in a group also featuring CSKA Moscow and Espanyol.

Team news

Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is expected to recover from a slight thigh knock to start. Left-back Boli Bolingo’s self-isolation is over, but he is not included in the Champions League squad.

Former Ukraine Under-21 midfielder Oleksandr Zubkov, who has completed a permanent move to Ferencvaros after his loan spell from Shakhtar Donetsk, misses out through injury along with experienced Hungary wide man Gergo Lovrencsics. Former Hibernian and Walsall goalkeeper David Grof does not make the travelling squad.

What they say

Celtic manager Neil Lennon: “Physically, athletically, tactically, quality wise, Ferencvaros are a big step up. Looking at their Europa League results last season, they never lost a game away from home in the group so they know how to travel.”

Ferencvaros head coach Sergei Rebrov: “At this stage, all teams are quality, it doesn’t matter what kind of league they have won. Everyone knows Celtic are the number one seed in the qualification rounds, we all understand, but we all have to concentrate on ourselves and I am sure we have a chance.”



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