We're ready for Spanish inquisition - Guppy
Celtic winger Steve Guppy believes his team-mates can dump Celta Vigo out of the UEFA Cup if they can stand up to danger-man Alexander Mostovoi.
Guppy claims Celtic are prepared for anything when Celta visit Parkhead tonight.
He has enough experience against Spanish opposition and regularly tunes into their live action to know all about what to expect and has warned his team-mates to be on red alert.
Guppy said: “It is a different style of play there and there’s always a lot of penalties given in that league.
“You see it on the TV every week and some of penalty decisions are strange to say the least.
“It’s an accepted part of the game that people are going to try to win free kicks. That’s their style of play and it’s part of their culture. We have to be aware of that.
“They are going to be trying to get free-kicks and stifle our rhythm, but it’s within their rules they’re entitled to do that.
“But that’s all part of gaining European experience. You know what to expect so it’s up to us to deal with it and not let them interrupt our pattern of play.”
Mostovoi, meanwhile, is doubtful with an Achilles injury, but Guppy knows the playmaker can end their hopes of staying in Europe beyond Christmas for the first time in 23 years.
He added: “Mostovoi is a truly great player and seems to be scoring a lot of their goals and we will have to aware of his free-kick ability.
“He scores a lot of goals around the box with his free-kicks so he’s got a great delivery. He’s a great player. Hopefully he won’t play, but I’m sure he will be there.
“We will have to wary of conceding free-kicks around the area because he is a man that could punish us.”
Manager Martin O’Neill is also aware of the threat of the Russian, but he believes the Spanish side are playing games ahead of the game.
He said: “He is a very talented player and I expect him to play, as I expected Damien Duff to play (against Blackburn in the last round).”
O’Neill has called for the supporters to turn up the volume and make it every bit as intimidating as it was for the visit of Valencia last season.
“If they’re right up for it, then they can be very important in proceedings,” he claimed.
The Celtic boss claims he feels under no extra pressure to keep Celtic in the UEFA Cup.
O’Neill concluded: “It certainly is an incentive and I would dearly love to be involved in European football after Christmas.”
