Neil Lennon has saluted his Champions League rookies ahead of tomorrow’s crunch match with Benfica.
Despite a four year absence from the tournament and being seeded in pot four Celtic go into matchday five knowing that a win or score draw would almost certainly take them into the last 16 of the competition.
“Against Benfica in the corresponding fixture 10 of our players made their Champions Leaguedebut so they have done very well,” Lennon explained. “They have given themselves a good foundation in the group, but that’s all.
“If we didn’t (qualify) then it might be an opportunity missed but I am not thinking of that.
“I am not going to set the team up defensively or play for a draw, we will try to play as we always do, to try to win the game and we will see what that brings but the players are in confident mood.”
Lennon added: “We have done remarkably well to be in the position we are in on the back of beating Barcelona but that’s gone now. We have two huge games left in the competition.
“This was always going to be a pivotal game for us, regardless of the Barcelona games. You are never relaxed whoever the opposition is, particularly at this level. The landscape of the group can change on one night.
“This will be as tough as Barcelona if not tougher. The game is very important for both teams.
“We might get two bites of the cherry but we would like to do it at the first time of asking but we will have to do very well.
“Benfica are a formidable team at home and their domestic form is excellent, and they, like ourselves, go into the game on the back of a very good win.”
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