BROWN BIDS TO RESTORE EURO REP
Broony out to restore Champions League rep after Barca thrashing
SCOTT BROWN has demanded his team restore Celtic’s damaged reputation in Europe by making Parkhead a place to fear again.
The captain’s pride was hurt by the 7-0 drubbing in Barcelona and so he is determined to ensure that was a one off and tonight show against Manchester City that the best team from Scotland deserves to be i n the Champions League.
Brown knows that for that to happen then he and his team-mates need a jampacked Celtic Park to get fully behind them, just as the fans have done in the past for so many of the iconic nights the midfielder has been involved in.
Brown has missed the great European nights at his home ground and wants to remind football why not so long ago the biggest names in the game spoke of their admiration for the atmosphere in the east end of Glasgow.
The skipper said: “It
was always going to be a difficult group, but Celtic Park should always be a tough place to come for anybody.
“Hopefully on the night we can start well, get the crowd behind us, get on the front foot from the start and create chances.
“It’s about the reputation of Celtic Park as well as anything else. On the days we have played some great teams here but we have done well, we have dug deep on got some good results.
“It has been hard, we have lost late goals, but we have always believed in ourselves – especially at home.
“As soon as you get off that bus, the fans are behind you, and they get behind you for 90 minutes and restore belief in you, even if you think you might be struggling and you are digging deep.
“You go that extra mile for them and they make you put your body on the line more than anything.”
The unbeaten Premier League leaders are going to prove a huge test for Celtic, but Brown has always welcomed the chance to prove himself against the very best this second match of Group C is no different.
Brown said: “It’s what Champions League football is all about. It’s about playing the best players in your position and hopefully you end up on top individually and as a team after 90 minutes.
“For me it’s a great opportunity again, it’s amazing to play against the likes of Andres Iniesta, Fernandinho, David Silva and people like that.
“If you want to improve as a player then that’s what you need to do, look to compete against top players like that, be brave enough to take the ball under pressure and hopefully beat a man and create a chance.
“We need to start digging deep now because if we don’t get points on the board it’ll be hard for us.
“But yet again coming to Celtic Park we’ve had some great games and great experiences and here’s hoping it can be another one.”
The key for Celtic, and Brendan Rodgers has stressed this time and again, is pressing the City players so they don’t get any time to play their normal game when at their best the pass the opposition off the park.
Brown said: “It all starts with the front three. They go and press, then the defenders and midfielders come up as well. I think we need to be brave on the ball, be composed and be sharp off the ball and aware of their movement.
“Most importantly, though, from the start we have to show we’re up for the challenge.
“I think this competition is a chance for us. We know that we let ourselves down in Barcelona, but we need to bounce back from that.
“It is about what we do against Manchester City now and on our day we believe we can play as well as anybody.”