Neil Lennon has told his players that they are capable of beating Lazio on Thursday night.
No Celtic side has ever won in Italy with just scoring goals something of a rarity.
Jock Stein’s great sides found Italian sides tough to break down, twice drawing 0-0 in the San Siro with Inter and AC Milan while losing 1-0 to Fiorentina.
In 2011 Gary Hooper scored in a 1-1 draw away to Udinese but with seven points from nine matches so far in Group E Lennon believes that his side can take full points from Thursday’s match.
Looking to the clash in the Stadio Olympico Lennon told The Sun:
It’s a chance, it’s a challenge. Do we believe we can win the game? Yeah, but we know how difficult it’s going to be.
We also think we can get beaten. We have had a good look at Lazio, they’re a great side. It was a great game to come out the other side of, but we did have tough moments and that will be the case on Thursday.
They have had a couple of great wins in Serie A recently against Torino and at Fiorentina so they’re a class side but we’re looking forward to it. The players have earned the right. We know if we win or get a positive result we can take another huge step towards qualification.
Lennon was speaking at Hampden on Saturday, last night Lazio won 2-1 away to AC Milan to move up into fourth place in Serie A, just a point behind local rivals Roma in third spot.
A hamstring strain for Boli Bolingoli is Lennon’s main injury concern, if the former Rapid Vienna doesn’t make it Lennon will turn to Jonny Hayes or Greg Taylor.
