Messi backs Celtic to make it to top 16

BARCELONA - Reuters

Tonight’s game between Celtic and Spartak Moscow will mark the return of Irish player Aiden McGeady (R) to the Celtic Park to face his former club. EPA Photo

Celtic’s bid to make the last 16 of the Champions League has been backed by Lionel Messi who believes the Scottish club’s fans deserve to see their side progress.

Those at Celitc Park for tonight’s decider against eliminated Spartak Moscow will be keeping close tabs on the other final Group G match in Spain to see if Barcelona can dent Benfica’s hopes of progression and deliver Celtic an early Christmas gift. With Barcelona guaranteed first place in the group, the race for second reaches its climax with both Celtic and Benfica level on seven points.

Benfica holds the better head-to-head record against Celtic after claiming a 2-1 victory in its last game against the Scottish champions who must better Benfica’s result at the Nou Camp to have any chance of qualifying for the last 16 for the first time since the 2007-08 European campaign.

Celtic can take solace from the fact world football’s most prolific goal scorer is in red-hot form after moving to within one goal of Gerd Müller’s milestone haul of 85 for club and country in one year.

Both Messi and Celtic will be hoping he moves swiftly on the record set by the German in 1972 and to eliminate Benfica.

“We have not always been supportive of the way that Celtic try and play football,” Messi was quoted by Scotland’s The Daily Record as saying. “However, their fans deserve the knockout stages of the Champions League as I think the competition would be a quieter place without them.”

Celtic will be looking to improve poor home form after second division side Arbroath forced a Scottish Cup replay on Dec. 1.

Return of McGeady

Despite making nine changes to freshen his side for tonight’s match, manager Neil Lennon felt his players were wasteful.

“[We are] missing too many easy chances at home for my liking,” Lennon said. “It will be no reflection on Wednesday whatsoever. Players will be fully focused and we will be hoping for a different scoreline.”

The Moscow side’s visit will also see former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady return to Celtic Park for the first time since he departed the club in 2010. The Irishman scored 37 goals in a six-year spell in the Hoops and remains a strong figure in the mind of supporters.