Celtic v Salzburg background
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Article summary
Celtic FC will look to join FC Salzburg in booking a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 as the frontrunners in Group D meet in Glasgow on matchday five.
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Celtic FC can make certain of a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 with a win at home against FC Salzburg, who are already sure of a top-two finish in Group D.
Form guide
• The sides drew 2-2 in Salzburg on matchday one. Celtic have yet to lose to Austrian opponents in Glasgow (W2 D1), though they did lose 1-0 to SK Rapid Wien in a nominal home game played in Manchester in the 1984/85 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
• Salzburg are unbeaten in eight UEFA Europa League away contests (W7 D1).
• Salzburg are the group stage's top scorers with 13 goals from their four fixtures – an average of 3.25 per match.
Trivia and links
• Salzburg's Jonatan Soriano is one of four players on five goals in this season's group stage, along with Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur FC), David Lafata (AC Sparta Praha) and Raul Rusescu (FC Steaua Bucureşti). Soriano was the top scorer in last season's UEFA Europa League with eight strikes in seven games from the start of the group stage.
• Celtic's 1-1 draw with FC Astra on matchday five was their 300th UEFA club competition fixture; their record in those matches reads W142 D52 L106.
• Salzburg midfielder Valon Berisha – left out of his club's UEFA Europa League squad due to injury – and Celtic counterpart Stefan Johansen are team-mates with Norway.
The coaches
• Celtic coach Ronny Deila took charge of the Hoops in June 2014 following a successful spell at Strømsgodset IF in his native Norway. The former Odd Grenland and Viking FK defender led the Drammen club to the 2010 Norwegian Cup title and, in 2013, their first league crown since 1970.
• Adi Hütter took charge of Salzburg following Roger Schmidt's departure for Bayer 04 Leverkusen in summer 2014. A former midfielder with the club, he coached Salzburg's youth teams before moving into senior football with SCR Altach and SV Grödig, whom he led to promotion and then a third-place finish in Austria last season.
