Ronny Deila will brief his players to be on their guard against Maribor while making the most of home advantage when they take on the Slovenian’s tomorrow night.
Since the first leg last draw Deila has been at pains to point out that Maribor could be more comfortable playing their counter attacking game at Celtic Park than on home soil.
Celtic will carry the weight of expectations when they take the pitch tomorrow night with Deila keen to force the issue in a measured way.
“It is important to start well and get the crowd with you but you have to play tactically well and have balance in the team,” the Celtic boss explained. “Maribor played very tactically at home and they will do the same here.
“They were very easy to read but very hard to stop because they are very good on the counter-attack. They are a well-organised, hard-working team so it is very important that we also have the same focus.
“We have to press together and we have to be compact. We want to attack and be offensive but in a clever way.”
Deila will revert back to his tried and tested first choice XI after the weekend experiment, and defeat, at Inverness on Saturday.
Without any exaggeration tomorrow is Celtic’s biggest game of the season with Deila well aware of it’s significance at every level of the club.
“This is the biggest tournament, the highest level in football so it is Christmas and Happy New Year at the same time,” he admitted.
“It is going to be a huge game and a huge experience. I feel ready and the team is ready as well. So I am looking forward to it.”