Former Rangers manager Dick Advocaat rates Celtic's chances of beating Spartak Moscow in their Champions League qualifier as no better than 50/50.
The Scottish champions travel to Moscow next week for the first leg of their clash with the current leaders of the Russian Premier League.
Gordon Strachan's side began the defence of their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title on Sunday with a disappointing goalless draw at home to Kilmarnock.
Spartak remain three points clear at the top of their league after 19 games following a narrow 3-2 home win over Tom Tomsk courtesy of a 90th-minute winner from midfielder Denis Boyarintcev.
Advocaat's Zenit St Petersburg side are five points behind Spartak in third place and lost 3-1 last month on the artificial turf at the Luzhniki stadium.
The Dutchman, who was boss at Ibrox between 1998 and 2001, told PA Sport that his former Glasgow foes are in for a tough time in their first foray to Russia.
He said: "It will be difficult for Celtic, especially in Russia.
"Spartak are top of the league at the moment. They are a difficult team to beat, they are well organised and of course they play on artificial turf which is always difficult to play on.
"I don't know exactly how strong Celtic are at the moment but I would say their chances are about 50-50.
"They beat us at their ground, although that was nothing to do with the pitch, they were the better team on the day.
"Egor Titov is still a good player, he is the architect of the team but Spartak have several good players.
"I think it will be an exciting and open game but it will be hard for Celtic."
Advocaat remained diplomatic when comparing the strength of the SPL, where he won five trophies in his time at Ibrox, to the Russian top division.
He said: "This league is very competitive. Everyone can beat each other and you can even lose to the bottom team in the league.
"Spartak were 2-1 down last Sunday to one of the lower teams in the table with only 20 minutes to go but they came back to win 3-2.
"That shows you that they never give up.
"But there is a different type of football played in Russia than in Scotland.
"The SPL is quicker and the ball gets up to the forwards more quickly than over here."
Gordon Strachan's side began the defence of their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title on Sunday with a disappointing goalless draw at home to Kilmarnock.
Spartak remain three points clear at the top of their league after 19 games following a narrow 3-2 home win over Tom Tomsk courtesy of a 90th-minute winner from midfielder Denis Boyarintcev.
Advocaat's Zenit St Petersburg side are five points behind Spartak in third place and lost 3-1 last month on the artificial turf at the Luzhniki stadium.
The Dutchman, who was boss at Ibrox between 1998 and 2001, told PA Sport that his former Glasgow foes are in for a tough time in their first foray to Russia.
He said: "It will be difficult for Celtic, especially in Russia.
"Spartak are top of the league at the moment. They are a difficult team to beat, they are well organised and of course they play on artificial turf which is always difficult to play on.
"I don't know exactly how strong Celtic are at the moment but I would say their chances are about 50-50.
"They beat us at their ground, although that was nothing to do with the pitch, they were the better team on the day.
"Egor Titov is still a good player, he is the architect of the team but Spartak have several good players.
"I think it will be an exciting and open game but it will be hard for Celtic."
Advocaat remained diplomatic when comparing the strength of the SPL, where he won five trophies in his time at Ibrox, to the Russian top division.
He said: "This league is very competitive. Everyone can beat each other and you can even lose to the bottom team in the league.
"Spartak were 2-1 down last Sunday to one of the lower teams in the table with only 20 minutes to go but they came back to win 3-2.
"That shows you that they never give up.
"But there is a different type of football played in Russia than in Scotland.
"The SPL is quicker and the ball gets up to the forwards more quickly than over here."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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