JAMES FORREST returns to the Celtic side for Europa League action tomorrow night after missing the previous game in Leipzig due to suspension. He was rather harshly shown a straight red card in Salzburg when conceding a penalty and many thought that the free kick should have been given the other way for a push on the Celtic winger.
That meant that Forrest didn’t need to travel to Germany but he got the chance to watch the match on BT Sport and therefore realises the scale of the challenge tomorrow night under the disco lights.
“It was a weird feeling watching it on the telly”, Forrest said to the media yesterday.
“It was obviously frustrating. I am not really used to being suspended. I got a red card in my second season at Celtic under Neil Lennon and I maybe sat out one game.
“So it was strange and hopefully I don’t experience it again. It’s far better to be playing than stuck watching on the television.
“You do look closely though. When you are not playing you watch those involved and pay close attention to the guys in your position and who you may be up against. Everything helps,” he noted.
Forrest realises that such is the position in the group after the defeats in Salzburg and Leipzig that Celtic have to win the two home games against the Red Bull sides and also win in Norway against Rosenborg who have taken nothing from their three games so far. If they got a win or a draw against Celtic it would also mean we’d be out – even if we can win the two home games.
“There’s no margin for error now,” Forrest said. “We have two home games left in the group and we know they will be important. We need to pick up points if we want to progress.
“The last two results away from home against Salzburg and Leipzig have been disappointing but we still have the opportunity to put it right.
“We want to progress in Europe and it’s not beyond us to get out of the group.
“We need to win our home games and maybe pick up something away to Rosenborg, as well. But we are capable of doing it.
“We have got the players in the squad who can achieve it but we need to turn up on both nights.
“Of course it’s going to be hard against top sides – but we’ve got the quality.”
Also on The Celtic Star today…
Jim Craig – Celtic faced one of the founder members of the Scottish League, Abercorn FC…See HERE.
