DANISH ACE SET TO RENEW HOSTILITIES
Danish defender Christensen knows all about Dembele’s qualities and expects a tough battle in crucial European encounter
IT was during an epic FA Youth Cup Final that Andreas Christensen first felt the force of Moussa Dembele.
Despite Chelsea prevailing over Dembele’s Fulham by an aggregate scoreline of 7-6, Christensen admits his triumph was hard-fought against an opponent whose raw mixture of muscle and finishing power yielded a goal in each leg.
Two years on, the pair are set to renew their rivalry in the Champions League and it is no exaggeration to describe their head-to-head as a battle between two of Europe’s hottest talents.
Christensen has excelled since moving from Stamford Bridge to Borussia Mönchengladbach on a two-year loan deal while Dembele’s two goals against Manchester City in Celtic’s previous Champions League fixture announced his arrival on the continental stage and set in motion a wave of transfer speculation linking him with elite clubs from Paris to Madrid.
‘I think we were only 18 when I played against him for Chelsea youths but even then he was a very good player,’ recalls Christensen. ‘I remember him well. He was a strong lad and I’m sure he is even more powerful now. We all saw his goals against City, so I expect him to be one of the main threats in Glasgow.’
Lured from Craven Cottage for a £500,000 development fee that now seems akin to larceny, Dembele’s goals for Celtic and the French Under-21 team have rapidly swelled his reputation as one of the continent’s best young strikers.
Even so, Christensen could argue to being the more precocious, if not talented, of the two.
Dembele’s senior by just three months, the 20-year-old Dane is already the holder of 10 full international caps and has a wealth of top-level club experience.
Lured to London thanks to some prodigious performances in the Brondby youth ranks, Christensen played three times for the Chelsea first team before moving to Germany on a two-year loan deal at the start of last season.
Although still a teenager, Christensen excelled after being pitched into the upper echelons of the Bundesliga to the extent that he was awarded the Borussia player of the year award, beating the likes of Swiss schemer Granit Xhaka, whose performances were of a sufficient standard to tempt Arsenal into a £30million purchase.
Borussia tried to reinvest half of the Xhaka proceeds in a permanent deal for Christensen but Chelsea refused, viewing the Dane as a future mainstay, with both John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic nearing retirement.
Versatile and composed enough to step into midfield on occasions, most recently in the second half of Denmark’s World Cup qualifier against Montenegro last Tuesday, Christensen will be key in helping Borussia withstand the early onslaught which has become customary at Celtic Park.
It took Dembele less than three minutes to score against City in the previous group game and Christensen is preparing himself for a similar
wall of noise when the teams emerge for kickoff on Wednesday. ‘We have played in big stadiums and we know how it goes,’ said Christensen in the aftermath of the Danes’ 1-0 defeat to the Montenegrins in Copenhagen. ‘If we come under pressure it’s going to be extremely hard to get out if it because the crowd is upbeat and they support their team intensely. ‘So you try to slow it down and use all the tricks you can. The main thing will be to make sure we are ready for it and stay calm.’ The Champions League group phase may not yet have reached the halfway stage but Christensen views Borussia’s double header with Brendan Rodgers’ side as on oldfashioned twolegged cup tie. Conceding that Barcelona and City are already out of sight, defender Christensen insists the Bundesliga side are now playing for third place and a chance to play Europa League football after Christmas. To do that they will need to finish above the Scottish champions and that makes Wednesday’s meeting in Glasgow crucial. Borussia have lost both their opening games which means the point collected in the thrilling draw against City gives Brendan Rodgers’ side the edge. ‘If we want a chance to finish third we have to beat Celtic, that is how we are thinking,’ he continued. ‘We think we have the team to beat them but I am quite sure they think the same about us. ‘It’s going to be a tight game but we have to do everything to get third place. Right now we are on zero points and it’s going to be tough. ‘Being realistic, I think third place is what we are looking at. Our last game against Barcelona felt like a chance lost. We wanted to win that game and, in the first half, we played it our way and got the lead. In the second half they turned it round. ‘City was tougher. They were too good on that night for us.’ If City looked rattled by the combination of Celtic’s highenergy pressing game and the roar emanating from the stands, Christensen expects Borussia to handle the maelstrom better. Domestically, Andre Schubert’s side may be struggling to replicate last season’s form but they are well versed in handling a raucous audience — not least their own. ‘The best atmosphere in Germany is