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Brown and Samaras start v Barcelona

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Barcelona newsNeil Lennon has made four changes to the Celtic side that won 5-0 to St Mirren for tonight’s Champions League clash with Barcelona.

Skipper Scott Brown returns in midfield alongwith Georgios Samaras with Mikael Lustig and Emilio Izaguirre coming in at full-back.

Kris Commons and James Forrest are named among the substitutes with Charlie Mulgrew starting in a five man midfield

Adam Matthews, Beram Kayal, Tony Watt and Lassad Nouioui dropping out of the starting XI.

“I am hoping there will be 11 or 14 heroes, not just one,” Neil Lennon said previewing the match.

“Players have already made their name in this competition and I am hoping a few more do it tonight.

“We have to be compact and play with a great intensity but what we do have is pace, good technical ability and we come off a great performance at the weekend.

“We are in a good place at the minute. We are hoping that the bubble doesn’t burst but if it does then we can pick ourselves up very quickly.

“But it is a good challenge for the players and one that they should embrace.”

Looking ahead to the match Barca coach Tito Vilanova said: “Maybe people didn’t take Celtic seriously at the start of the season, but we do. Over the years there have been lots of examples of teams who have been written off and were dangerous.

“Celtic are very quick and good on the counterattack, so we have to take them seriously in the Champions League.”

Whatever the result tonight Celtic will remain in second place, at worst, after Spartak Moscow beat Benfica 2-1 earlier tonight.

BARCELONA: Valdés; Adriano, Mascherano, Bartra, Alba; Song, Xavi, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Alexis.

CELTIC: Forster; Lustig, Wilson, Ambrose, Izaguirre; Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew; Samaras, Hooper

SUBS: Zaulska, Matthews, Kayal, Commons, Forrest, Rogne, Miku 

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