Anderlecht boss Hein Vanhaezebrouck expects Celtic to 'fly like hell'

Anderlecht manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck (SNS Group / Craig Foy)

ANDERLECHT boss Hein Vanhaezebrouck is bracing himself for a “devastating” start by Celtic on Tuesday which could kill off already faint hopes of an unlikely Europa League placing.

Brendan Rodgers’ men go into their final Champions League Group B fixture at Parkhead three points ahead of the Belgian side thanks to their 3-0 away win in matchday two in September.

European heavyweights Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich have already qualified for the knockout stages and bottom side Anderlecht, still looking for their first point, have to equal or better that result against the Scottish champions to take third spot and ensure Europa League football after Christmas.

Speaking before his side trained at Celtic Park, Vanhaezebrouck, who was not in charge when the sides met in September, outlined the problems his side could face in front of a packed stadium.

“It’s not important to score very quickly, not important at all,” he said.

“For us, the ultimate thing is to score three times more than Celtic. The timing of the first goal isn’t important at all.

“We can score halfway through the second half and still go for it.

“You can say we’re going to try to score in the first five minutes – and then you lose a goal in the first five minutes and it will be doubly hard.

“I can already predict what’s going to happen tomorrow.

“There will be noise as soon as we come on the pitch. The crowd will be behind them – and they will fly like hell.

“So we are going to have to be ready because the start will be possibly devastating.

“If we can survive and stay level, then maybe we have a chance to do something.

“But to overcome the three-goal difference to continue, everything has to be perfect and we also need all the luck in the world.

“So the chances are really, really small. But that’s not our main goal.

“I can’t go and tell the team we need to win by three goals. We have to be realistic. Aim for a win, a draw even would be a good result. Winning would be fantastic.”