Three keys to Celtic beating Valencia in the Europa League

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Celtic will try to reverse a 2-0 first-leg deficit in their Europa League tie with Valencia at the Mestalla this evening.

Goals from Denis Cheryshev and Ruben Sobrino handed the Spaniards a firm advantage when the two sides met at Celtic Park last week.

The Hoops face a gargantuan task tonight but you can bet that boss Brendan Rodgers won’t let his team go out of the competition without a fight.

Ahead of the contest, we look at three keys towards Celtic securing victory against Valencia…

Attack from the off

Celtic must leave everything out on the turf tomorrow evening.

There are no second chances following the game at the Mestalla and Rodgers knows he must throw a little more caution to the wind.

In Scott Sinclair, Oliver Burke and James Forrest, Celtic do have players that can hurt Valencia.

Celtic know that they must score three times to win the game in normal time and a conservative approach is not the way to go here.

Turn the crowd

The crowd at the Mestalla can be particularly raucous and Celtic’s performance can dictate what part they play.

Rodgers’ team must race out the blocks and try to silence the home crowd as soon as they possibly can.

Valencia’s home form hasn’t been bad this season but they do draw a lot of games at the Mestalla.

Win the midfield battle

A week ago at Celtic Park, the Hoops let Geoffrey Kondogbia and Dani Parejo dictate play far too much.

That can’t happen again this evening.

Callum McGregor and Scott Brown will need to up their game and have the performances of their lives if Celtic stand any chance of success tonight.

Brown netted a last-gasp winner at the weekend so his confidence should be sky high.