DON’T GET ON YOUR HIGH NORSE
CELTIC Ex-Parkhead hero Brattbakk warns Rosenborg that Celtic are still the big favourites to go through after stalemate
HARALD BRATTBAKK admits Celtic failed to take off against Rosenborg in Glasgow but he’s convinced the Hoops can still avoid a Champions League crash landing in Norway.
The striker – who became an airline pilot after hanging up his boots – reckons the Parkhead men are plotting a tougher route to get to the play-offs following the goalless firstleg draw on Wednesday night.
Rosenborg’s confidence is sky high ahead of the return on their patch but Brattbakk believes Brendan Rodgers’s side remain top guns in the tie.
The Trondheim legend admitted he didn’t give the Norwegians much of a hope when the clubs came out of the hat in the second qualifying round – but he only rates their chances as slightly higher now.
Brattbakk said: “Celtic can pull through but the task is a little bit more difficult than it was before.
“I said before the game having two matches is in favour of Rosenborg because maybe they can pull off a good result in Glasgow.
“Then again it is all about scoring goals and if you don’t then it is difficult to get through – but my money would be on Celtic.
“If Rosenborg had lost by two goals or less I’d have given them a shot of going through. Now after the draw their chances are bigger than ever. It is a good result, more in favour of Rosenborg than Celtic.
“But I wouldn’t say Rosenborg have the edge. Their chance of getting through to the next round is marginally bigger than before the game because I didn’t expect them to get a draw.”
Rosenborg came to Glasgow to frustrate Celtic and their game plan worked a treat.
Rodgers was without a recognised striker but the rest of his attackers h a d less space to move than in the back row of a budget airline. It was the Norwegians who left wondering what might have been after passing up a couple of glorious late chances.
The clean sheet at home and the prospect of an away goal in Trondheim means the tie is far from over and Brattbakk has warned Rosenborg to forget thinking they are home and dry.
He said: “I know Celtic is a strong team, they will not come to Norway next week and lay on their backs. They will fight as hard as they ever can.
“Maybe nerves will play a part next week for Celtic. But Celtic is the better team than Rosenborg. If they played 10 games then Celtic would win seven or eight of them.”
Brattbakk admitted he was surprised Celtic went into their campaign with just two senior strikers registered for Europe – and they paid the price when both Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths were ruled out through injury and suspension. Back in his day at Parkhead he had plenty of competition for a start up front with players such as Henrik Larsson and Mark Viduka around, along with Mark Burchill and Ian Wright before Chris Sutton and Co arrived to spell the end of his time in Glasgow in 2000.
The lack of a goal threat in the box caused problems but Brattbakk can’t see another stalemate in Trondheim. He said: “Those two players are important to the team and make a difference if they play.
“But Celtic, with their size, should be able to replace those players without losing too much.
“However, if they use energy on players who don’t play, that is not going to take them far. It is about players who they actually can use.
“I would like to see both teams to go through of course but from a neutral perspective it is set for a very good game next week.
“You could talk about another draw and extra time and penalties but that is not going to happen.
“I am sure we are going to get some goals next week. Whoever scores first will decide how the game goes.”
Rosenborg expect a 20,000 sell-out for Wednesday’s showdown at the Lerkendal Stadion but are not banking on a stroll to the play-offs.
Boss Kare Ingebrigtsen agrees with Brattbakk and insisted his men are still the big underdogs to progress.
But while the manager felt landing Celts at this stage was his worse nightmare he is now dreaming of going a step closer to the Champions League group stage.
Ingebrigtsen said: “Is it 80-20 in our favour? No. Celtic are favourites if you look at the club size.
“Before the draw Celtic was perhaps the worst we could get. But not any more as we are in a one-game cup final to get to the next round.”