Former Rangers striker and current Young Boys frontman Cedric Itten has heaped praise on Celtic Park, comparing its electric atmosphere to the famously intimidating stadium of Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen.
Ahead of Young Boys’ crucial UEFA Champions League clash against Celtic on Wednesday, Itten warned his team-mates about the challenges of playing at Parkhead, describing it as a “fortress.”
The Swiss forward, now plying his trade with Young Boys, emphasised the need for his side to start strongly against Brendan Rodgers’ men to avoid being overwhelmed by the relentless support of the home crowd. Itten played for Celtic’s rivals Rangers for two seasons before moving to Young Boys.
“The place will be full of 60,000 fans. And they are loud… very loud, in fact!” Itten said. “They stand up and join in with every action. You have to fight back at the beginning and not let in a goal in the first 15 minutes.
“We did really well at Galatasaray. The noise levels are similar there to Celtic’s ground. You’ll probably hear our fans sporadically because they aren’t continually booed as the Galatasaray fans did. Fair play is in a completely different place in Scotland. But it’s not nice to know that we’re last and don’t have a point yet. We definitely want to score points in the last two games.” ( Daily Record)
Celtic Park has long been known for its raucous European nights, with many players and managers hailing its unmatched atmosphere. This season, Celtic’s performances under the lights have seen them approach the Champions League group stages with renewed determination, keeping their home record a key focus.
Young Boys face a daunting task on Wednesday, needing a result to move them from bottom position in the league table.
However, currently the Swiss side have only scored 3 times across 6 matches and have conceded 22 goals. Itten’s comments suggest the Swiss side are fully aware of the challenge ahead, particularly with Celtic’s high-tempo style likely to put them on the back foot early on.
With Celtic fans eager to inspire their side to another famous victory, Young Boys and Itten will have to silence the stadium somehow if they want to get any joy.
