Celtic must unleash £3.5m ace to help stop Brugge hero who Idah knows well

Celtic return to European motion on Wednesday evening as they put together to welcome Belgian facet Membership Brugge to Glasgow within the Champions League.

The Hoops have performed twice within the Scottish Premiership, and had a global break, since their final outing on the European stage, which was their 3-1 win over RB Leipzig at Parkhead earlier this month.

Two objectives from winger Nicolas Kuhn and one from Reo Hatate secured all three factors for the Scottish giants in opposition to the Bundesliga facet, and that was the second win in 4 outings for the membership within the competitors.

Brendan Rodgers’ workforce come into this conflict with Brugge, although, off the again of an emphatic 4-1 win away at Hearts of their final Premiership recreation.

Kyogo Furuhashi and Kuhn scored the opening two objectives within the recreation, inside the house of 5 minutes within the fifty fifth and sixtieth, earlier than substitute Adam Idah got here off the bench to attain twice to seal the win for the Hoops.

How Celtic’s assault might line up in opposition to Brugge

After the Eire worldwide’s go off the bench in opposition to Hearts, Rodgers might have a choice to make within the centre-forward place in opposition to Brugge on Wednesday.

Kyogo has not loved an ideal begin to the marketing campaign within the Champions League, with a return of 1 purpose from 1.89 xG and 0 assists in 4 appearances and three begins.

In the meantime, Idah has scored one purpose from 1.26 xG and 0 assists in 4 outings, though he has solely began one of many video games – the 0-0 draw with Atalanta.

On the flanks, Daizen Maeda and Kuhn ought to retain their positions within the beginning XI, given the affect that they’ve made within the competitions this season.

As you possibly can see within the desk above, each gamers have outscored Idah and Kyogo respectively, and outperformed their xG tallies, while Kuhn has additionally offered an help.

The Celtic extensive males have showcased their potential to make a distinction within the ultimate third and will each be unleashed from the beginning in opposition to Brugge, as they may use their high quality to win the sport for the Hoops – notably with the strikers struggling to persistently discover the again of the online.

While Rodgers could have loads of concentrate on how his workforce will assault the sport at Parkhead, the Northern Irish head coach may even be nicely conscious of the menace that the Belgian facet pose, notably with their in-form left-winger Christos Tzolis set to star.

Christos Tzolis’ kind for Membership Brugge this season

The Greek worldwide’s high quality will already be well-known to one of many gamers within the Celtic squad, as Adam Idah performed alongside him throughout their time at Norwich Metropolis.

They performed 16 matches collectively in England and the Irish ahead might be able to present the group with slightly little bit of perception on him because of that.

The teaching workers will, nevertheless, have loads of footage of his performances for Brugge this season to indicate the gamers, to make them conscious of the menace that he poses to the defence.

Tzolis joined the Belgian facet on a everlasting deal from Fortuna Dusseldorf, shortly after he had left Norwich to signal for the German workforce, and has thrived in his new surroundings, with a return of eight objectives and two assists in 20 appearances.

The 22-year-old star, who has scored one purpose and created six possibilities in 4 Champions League video games, loved his finest efficiency of the season in opposition to Sint-Truidense within the Professional League on Saturday.

As you possibly can see within the desk above, Tzolis, extremely, discovered the again of the online 4 instances in simply 58 minutes from the left flank within the league in his final match.

Additionally a scorer in his earlier match earlier than that for Finland, the previous Norwich Metropolis winger clearly, given his kind within the Professional League and the Champions League, poses an enormous menace to Celtic forward of the conflict on Wednesday evening.

Nevertheless, Rodgers could not want to fret an excessive amount of in regards to the ahead as a result of he has a right-back in his squad, in Alistair Johnston, who can fight the Brugge gem.

Why Alistair Johnston is provided to cope with Tzolis

The Celtic full-back, who was not too long ago hailed for his “phenomenal” work fee by the supervisor, have to be unleashed as soon as once more from the beginning as a result of he has the flexibility at each ends of the pitch to cope with Tzolis’ high quality.

Firstly, Johnston’s robust defensive work offers him the perfect likelihood to forestall the Greek star from influencing the sport within the ultimate third as a scorer or a creator.

Within the Champions League this season, the £3.5m Canada worldwide ranks third within the squad for tackles (2.8) per recreation and second for interceptions (one) per match, while additionally rating first in each statistics amongst full-backs.

Johnston has additionally gained 71% of his floor duels and 71% of his aerial battles in his 4 appearances in Europe this time period, which reveals that he has been capable of dominate opposition gamers in bodily contests to cease them from beating him.

In these 4 video games, no left winger has offered a purpose or an help in opposition to Celtic. Even within the 7-1 defeat to Dortmund, Jamie Gittens didn’t rating or help any objectives and failed with 4 of his 5 dribble makes an attempt.

As you possibly can see within the desk above, Johnston additionally has the attacking high quality to push Tzolis, or any winger, again by forcing them to trace again and assist out their full-back, as he supplies a menace as a scorer and a creator from right-back.

Due to this fact, the Canadian star might play an extremely essential function on Wednesday evening by offering the defensive energy and attacking high quality to fight the specter of Tzolis.