{"id":324778,"date":"2025-08-07T09:02:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/324778\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T09:02:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:02:25","slug":"advantage-kairat-but-slovan-bratislava-remain-slight-favourites-to-face-celtic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/324778\/","title":{"rendered":"Advantage Kairat, but Slovan Bratislava remain slight favourites to face Celtic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Only Kairat Almaty or Slovan Bratislava stand between Celtic and Champions League group stage football and that \u00a340m that\u2019s on offer if the Hoops win their play-off round in either Eastern Europe or Eastern Asia later this month\u2026<\/p>\n<dl class=\"gallery-item\">\n<dt class=\"gallery-icon portrait\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-21.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-21.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\"  data-\/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<dl class=\"gallery-item\">\n<dt class=\"gallery-icon portrait\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GxrUrixWIAAgk1y.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GxrUrixWIAAgk1y.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\"  data-\/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Those two sides played out the first leg of their qualifier in Kazakstan yesterday as they looked to earn the right to play Celtic in the play offs.<\/p>\n<p>The home side have the advantage after a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a last minute spot kick from the 16 year-old star player in what was an otherwise drab game of football.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-lazy tweet-img lazyload\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddff Dastan Satpaev (16) \u2014 scores a last-minute penalty vs Slovan Bratislava in a high-pressure match \ud83d\udd25\u26bd<\/p>\n<p>At just 16, this shows his mentality and huge potential \ud83d\udc8e<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QFayjERDuo\">pic.twitter.com\/QFayjERDuo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 New Ballers (@newballers7) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/newballers7\/status\/1953138948177371312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Judging by the quality on show we would have to ask serious questions if we failed to beat either side and missed out on competing in the money laden group stages. Both looked below average at best and we should be licking our lips at the prospect of facing either.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment it\u2019s Kairat \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FootRankings\/status\/1953140029477306604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1953140029477306604%7Ctwgr%5E383cd63d310bb90f5d68d5bac9ebc40ab1512d6b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FFootRankings%2Fstatus%2F1953140029477306604\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Football Rankings<\/a> saying: \u201cKairat, playing in the middle of Asia, played once in the group stage of the Conference League, but could do even more this season!\u201d who have the advantage but it\u2019s Slovan that have to be the overwhelming favourites due to Kairat\u2019s woeful away record.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-17.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-169158 has-webp aligncenter size-full\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:1280\/853;max-width:1280px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The Kazakhstan\u2019s don\u2019t travel well judging by previous results, and Slovan have that bit more experience having taken part in the Champions League group stages last season, without achieving anything other than experience and of course money.<\/p>\n<p>We are well and capable of beating both sides, but Slovan would be our preferred option due to the logistics involved, and in my book they should still be the favourites to earn the right to face Celtic in the Play-off round.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-lazy tweet-img lazyload\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"ro\">\ud83d\udea8 \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf8 Crvena zvezda are set to secure the UCL Play-offs after a huge 3-1 win away at \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 Lech Pozna\u0144!<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udca5 Winner in the Play-offs vs<br \/>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfe Pafos \/ \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 Dynamo Kyiv<\/p>\n<p>\u274c \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 Lech Pozna\u0144 are in danger of double elimination as loser of this tie will face \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Genk in the UEL Play-offs! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NSqj7bKI5J\">pic.twitter.com\/NSqj7bKI5J<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Football Rankings (@FootRankings) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FootRankings\/status\/1953191188237832287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Just an Ordinary Bhoy<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>\t\tMore Stories \/ Latest News<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/celtic-interest-in-obert-makes-sense-if-welsh-and-murray-go-out-on-loan\/\" title=\"Celtic interest in Obert, makes sense if Welsh and Murray go out on loan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/cagliari-v-lecce-serie-a.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-169273 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Adam Obert of Cagliari\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/who-are-kairat-almaty\/\" title=\"Who Are Kairat Almaty?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/olimpija-v-kairat-almaty-uefa-champions-league-2025-26-first-qualifying-round-first-leg-2.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-169154 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Players of FC Kairat\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/celtics-sluggish-and-disjointed-summer-recruitment-now-a-major-concern\/\" title=\"Celtic\u2019s sluggish and disjointed summer recruitment now a major concern\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/imago1064748910.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-169110 lazyload\" alt=\"Callum McGregor delivers the trophy\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t&#13;<\/p>\n<p><strong>CELTIC IN THE EIGHTIES BY DAVID POTTER, FOREWORD BY DANNY McGRAIN<\/strong> is published by Celtic Star Books on the fifth day of September. You can pre-order now to guarantee your copy which will be signed by Danny McGrain, with just a limited number of signed copies still available, although they are selling very quickly.<\/p>\n<dl class=\"gallery-item\">\n<dt class=\"gallery-icon portrait\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Cover_Only_3D_2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Cover_Only_3D_2.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-168859\"  data-\/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n<dd class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-2-168859\">\n\t\t\t\tCeltic in the Eighties by David Potter, pre-order now\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<dl class=\"gallery-item\">\n<dt class=\"gallery-icon portrait\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/mcnair.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1116\" height=\"1589\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/mcnair.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Alec McNair - Celtic's Icicle\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-168931\"  data-\/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n<dd class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-2-168931\">\n\t\t\t\tAlec McNair \u2013 Celtic\u2019s Icicle now FREE and with FREE postage when ordering with David Potter\u2019s last book Celtic in the Eighties\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered and don\u2019t worry, your copy will be signed by the legendary Celtic and Scotland star who captained Celtic for the early years of the 1980s.<\/p>\n<p>And from today we\u2019ve reduced the price of an earlier David Potter book \u2013 Celtic\u2019 Icicle \u2013 Alec McNair \u2013 which you\u2019ll receive for<strong> FREE<\/strong> when you order with Celtic in the Eighties. So \u00a0you get two great Celtic books by David Potter and better still the postage is only charged on one. Offer available for a short period only as we have a very limited number of copies of David\u2019s wonderful book on Alec McNair left.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So why have one brilliant David Potter book when you can enjoy two?<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/celticstarbooks.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Eighties_3D_ADVERT-1.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-168814 has-webp\" alt=\"Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:539\/1077;max-width:539px\"\/><\/a>Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Foreword by Danny McGrain. Published on Celtic Star Books on 5 September 2025. Click on image to pre-order.<a href=\"https:\/\/celticpools.securecollections.net\/index.aspx?Agent=3532\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Celtic-Pools-Weekly-Lottery-CM-FINAL.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-142391 has-webp size-full\" alt=\"Join the Weekly Lottery\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:1080\/1080;max-width:1080px\"\/><\/a>Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to \u00a325,000. The lottery is \u00a31 per week. Click on image to join.\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Only Kairat Almaty or Slovan Bratislava stand between Celtic and Champions League group stage football and that \u00a340m&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":324779,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4100],"tags":[94,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-324778","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114986677467518089","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=324778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/324779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=324778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=324778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=324778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}