BROWN IS KEY MAN
RAINER BONHOF has pinpointed his former protege Scott Brown as the man Borussia Monchengladbach must stop if they are to leapfrog Celtic into third place in Champions League Group C.
Without a point after two matches, the Germans travel to Parkhead for tomorrow night’s vital clash while big guns Barcelona and Manchester City go head-to-head in the Nou Camp.
In the first of back-to-back clashes that should determine who parachutes into the Europa League, Monchengladbach face a Celtic side skippered by Brown, who was handed his first Scotland Under-21s appearance by Bonhof in a 3-1 defeat away to Spain in 2004.
During his four-year stint as Scotland Under-21s boss under Berti Vogts, Bonhof once warned Brown about his temper — with the young midfielder famously admitting he had a hyperactive streak caused by the sugar rush from chocolate bars and fizzy drinks.
Former World Cup winner Bonhof, now vice president of
Monchengladbach, has since watched Brown mature into a player very much at home in Europe’s most prestigious club competition. And after his team’s dismal 0-0 draw with Hamburg last Saturday, he has told them that nullifying Brown in the engine room would go a long way towards the Germans earning their first precious points in the tournament. ‘I remember Scott Brown well from my time in Scotland,’ said Bonhof, who made over 250 appearances for Monchengladbach and also managed the club. ‘I worked with him at times when I was in charge of the Under-21 team. ‘Everyone knows how good he is. Anyone who has watched him for the last ten years knows about his capacity as a footballer. ‘When I first saw Scott as a youngster, I always felt he’d be a top player. You could see his power and ability. He had all the skills required but, more importantly, at a young age, he could read a match from his position as a No6.’ Borussia forward Andre Hahn claims his side are braced for a bruising battle at Parkhead tomorrow evening. Hahn is ready for another scrap in Glasgow and said: ‘I expect an opponent who simply tries to overpower us, with their fans and the atmosphere at their backs. Celtic will throw everything into the mix. ‘They are also strong as their game against Manchester City, the 3-3 draw, has shown. We expect a big fight.’ With City and Barcelona also in the section, Hahn accepts it could be almost impossible for Borussia to claim European football after Christmas if they lost the first of a doubleheader against Celtic. ‘That’s right,’ he added. ‘Therefore, the focus throughout is on Celtic.’