Erik Sviatchenko reckons that his side has lost the usual way goal advantage after the 1-1 draw at Celtic Park last night. The rule has been scrapped by UEFA after 50 years and it could well be to Celtic’s advantage in the second leg at the MCH Arena next Wednesday night, which incidentally is exclusively live on Premier Sports for viewers in Britain and Ireland.
“It’s a good opportunity for us, but it’s a bit of a status quo situation because of the away goals rule being scrapped,” the Midtjylland captain told the mainstream media after the game at Celtic Park, as reported by Daily Record. “We will go into the return leg with the same mindset as the first leg that we have to win.
“We were brave and dared to push Celtic high up the park and we won the first few tackles at the start which gave us encouragement,” Sviatchenko added. “I think we did pretty well against a strong team in a big stadium.
“A 1-1 draw is okay for us. Of course, Celtic had some chances too and I can’t deny that. I think we have to be more cynical in some aspects of the next game too and be better with the ball. But we fought hard and we were very solid defensively.
“Before the game, I said we had a good opportunity and I think that still applies,” the former Celt said. Sviatchenko was a name being considered by Celtic ahead of Ange Postecoglou’s arrival and the Celtic manager will have a second opportunity to watch the Danish defender in action next week to see if he’d fit in with his own plans for the club.
Sviatchenko has an agreed buyout clause with Midtjylland so would not be an expensive acquisition for the Australian to sanction. With Carl Starfelt likely to arrive in the next few days, Postecoglou may well not be finished with his central defender shopping, although there remains other positions that he might feel require more immediate attention, notably at full-back and of course the goalkeeping position.
