Robin van Persie has been ruled out of Fenerbahce's Europa League
match against Celtic with Vitor Pereira's side needing a draw to seal
qualification to the next round of the Europa League
Fenerbahce will be without star
striker Robin van Persie as they host Celtic needing a draw to qualify
for the next round of the Europa League.
Vitor
Pereira's men are on the brink of qualification and one point would be
enough to seal a place in the knockout stages, while Ronny Deila's
Celtic are already out of the competition after taking just two points
from five Group H games.
Only pride is at stake
for Celtic after defeat to Ajax sealed their fate in their last Europa
League fixture, while Fenerbahce won 2-0 at Molde to keep their hopes
alive.
A thigh injury has ruled Van Persie out of
the Celtic match but the Netherlands striker has only scored five times
since signing for Fenerbahce in the summer. Denmark defender Simon Kjaer
and Portugal winger Nani are also unavailable through suspension.
Fenerbahce
were on a run of four successive victories before drawing at
Gaziantepspor on Sunday, a result that leaves the side third in the
Turkish Super Lig after they missed the chance to go top.
"The
Celtic game is one of the most important of the season for us," said
Fenerbahce midfielder Mehmet Topal ahead of the club's 200th UEFA club
competition game.
"There's a chance we could top the group if we beat them."
Deila,
whose Celtic have not won any of their last 10 games in the Europa
League but are three points clear at the summit of the Scottish
Premiership, said: "We are going to use this game to get more European
experience.
"With good performances you get more confidence and that is what we hope to get from this match. Hopefully a good result too.
"We
will see what we do with the players but we won’t change the whole
team. We would never do that. We have a duty to other teams to fight for
the points. You learn a lot about European football but also about your
own team.
"Everybody understands that we have to make improvements. It’s very clear to me what I need to improve for next season.
"You
could say defending but it’s about individual improvements and
improving as a team. We have to make the squad stronger and better. That
is about developing the players who are here and adding some who can
make us even stronger."
Fenerbahce, semi-finalists
in 2013, drew 2-2 at Celtic Park earlier in the competition with the
Turkish side fighting back from two goals down to claim a point thanks
to a brace from Fernandao and the Turks have not conceded in three
Europa League games since their trip to Glasgow.
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