Empty stadium 'not something we've focused on' - O'Neill

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neil feels the near-empty stadium in Friday's Nations League game will have more of an impact on Georgia than his own team. The match will take place behind closed doors after the Georgian Football Association faced sanctions for several Uefa regulations breaches and crowd disorder during a game against Armenia last year.

Approximately 60 Northern Ireland fans and local school children will attend the match. O'Neil told BBC Sport NI, "It's not something that we focused on. We'll train tonight in the stadium." He said, "It's a great stadium and unfortunately it will be empty, but I think it's more difficult for the home team, if I'm honest." The game at Boris Paichadze National Stadium in Tbilisi, usually with a capacity of 55,000, is Northern Ireland's first return in League B and they will also play against Hungary and Ukraine.

O'Neil acknowledged Georgia has many talented players, but highlighted Paris St-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the 25-year-old nominated for the Ballon d'Or, as their star player and a dangerous threat. He stated Kvaratskhelia was the best player in PSG's Champions League run last year and would require special attention, saying they had experience dealing with world-class players like Mbappe and Olise.