CELTIC’S Youth team will take on Liverpool this Tuesday, November 2 in a closed doors match at Celtic Park as part of an innovative and exciting pilot scheme for a new European tournament involving some of the continent’s top youth sides.
Presently, it is planned that the new competition will begin in September 2011 and would be the same format as the UEFA Champions League, with groups involving four teams. The respective group winners will progress to a tournament to be held in January 2012.
And the aim is to help young players in their development towards the first-team, with the preparations for each match mirroring their senior counterparts.
So Celtic and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish will bring a Liverpool youth side to Glasgow on Monday, November 1. The team will stay overnight in the city before the match at Celtic Park the following day.
And Celtic Head of Youth, Chris McCart, is delighted that Celtic are involved in this prestigious new development in the European youth game.
“This will be an excellent experience for our players and will help in their development,” he said, “and we are delighted to be involved in this pilot.
“We’ve been involved in developing this scheme for the past six months and we’re now looking forward to the European league beginning.
“It will give the players a taste of travelling abroad to games, and a knowledge of facing top European opposition, and it will be a tremendous experience for our boys.”
Among the other pilot games for this new youth European tournament are Ajax versus Manchester City, which takes place on November 12.
While Celtic’s game against Liverpool is a closed doors game, it is hoped that, when the European tournament is up and running, supporters will be able to attend these matches and watch the stars of the future in action.
We're fucking back already
