OLIVIER Ntcham first became aware of Celtic when they pulled off a huge upset and defeated Barcelona in a Champions League match at Parkhead five years ago.
And the French midfielder believes that overcoming Paris Saint-Germain in their opening Group B game this evening will propel the Glasgow club to the attention of the football world.
Supporters around the planet will tune in to the meeting between Brendan Rodgers’ side and Unai Emery’s team this evening to see Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani in action.
Together, the trio cost over £400 million making them the most expensive strikeforce in world football history.
Ntcham, who should take his place in the starting line-up, is confident the Scottish champions can pull off a huge upset against the team he grew up supporting as a boy and earn the respect he believes they deserve.
“These are the games that Celtic can get recognition on a worldwide stage,” he said. “Is it unfair that Celtic don’t get enough credit for how good a team we are? For me, yes. When they win or draw everyone asks who Celtic is?
“When Celtic played against Barcelona everyone knows Celtic. If we get a win or a draw against Paris it is, for me, a result that will go around the world. After that game I started to know Celtic. Just from this game. Not before. Just from this game. That was the first time I really knew of Celtic.
“For me, it would mean a lot to get a win. It’s a chance for us to show that Scottish football is not like people in the world think. Sometimes, when Celtic win a game 5-0, you don’t hear people say that Celtic are good. You only hear, ‘The other team is s***’. For me, that is not the case.
“I don’t know who the best player in the world is right now, but PSG have a very good attack. Last year everyone was talking about Messi, Suarez and Neymar. They are unbelievable and I think this year it is going to be the same with PSG. With a good result against PSG this team could also be put on the map.”
Ntcham has done superbly since signing for Celtic in a £4.5m transfer from Manchester City and was, despite his tender years, instrumental in his new club reach the group stages of the Champions League for the second season running.
The 21-year-old played particularly well in the 5-0 triumph over Astana in the first leg of the play-off and should line up alongside his skipper Scott Brown tonight.
However, he has found himself in the newspapers in Scotland recently due to the hairstyle he has been sporting. The symbols he has had shaved into his head led to some confusing exchanges with newspaper reporters as he looked ahead to the Paris Saint-Germain game yesterday.
“The 100 sign on my hair is an emoji from Snapchat,” he said. “It’s one that I use all the time. It’s my favourite and it doesn’t mean anything in particular. I like a lot of them, but 100 and the thumbs up are the two best ones.
“There isn’t really an emoji to symbolise the game against PSG. But if we win, then I will use two thumbs up and a lot of smiley faces.”
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