Neil Lennon is going all out for his first win over Italian opponents as a manager.
Lazio sit in seventh place in Serie A ahead of tonight’s game with a strong suspicion that improving their league position is more of a priority than taking over as leaders of Europa League Group E.
Back in season 2011/12 Celtic drew home and away against Udinese with that Europa League campaign proving to be the springboard towards lifting the SPL title.
Juventus brought a halt to a memorable return to the Champions League the following season while a 3-0 home defeat from Milan the following season was a lowlight in a Champions League group that yielded just three points.
A win over Lazio would see Celtic reach the halfway stage in Group E with seven points, providing the perfect platform to progress while a win over Lazio would give a new look squad a massive confidence boost.
Lennon likes the way that his squad is developing and is looking for a personal breakthrough from tonight’s glamour match as he told The Sun:
I loved my games against them as a player but I was just thinking about my record against them as manager. I lost to AC Milan twice, Juventus twice and drew twice with Udinese, who were decent so I’m really due a win!
Listen, I think we have got to try and win our home games. We got a great point in Rennes, a good win against Cluj. This is a real test for us and one the players are relishing.
They should really want to get their sleeves rolled up now and really get into this. This is what some of them are here for, to taste these nights. There is no better arena.
The fans are craving European football and hopefully the fans can connect with them and go and put on a display but we are a great test for Lazio as well. They have got some world-class players. In Ciro Immobile they have the best striker in the league at the minute, certainly in Serie A currently.
If Ronaldo or Romelu Lukaku were playing against Celtic tonight the threat would be very obvious but if Lennon can organise a defence to outsmart Immobile and forwards to take advantage of a defence that shipped three goals in 45 minutes to Atalanta on Saturday he will be on the brink of a managerial breakthrough.