Neil Lennon this afternoon spoke to the media from Celtic Park via video link ahead of the flight to Bosnia ahead of tomorrow evening’s Europa League Play-off against FK Sarajevo. The match incidentally will be available to Celtic season ticket holders in the GB and Ireland via your Pass to Paradise and is also available for subscribers to Celtic TV internationally.
🎟️ Season Ticket holders will get every minute of @EuropaLeague playoff action with #FKSCEL being shown 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙆 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 on their Pass to Paradise! 💻#CelticFC @CelticFCPass 🍀
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 29, 2020
“Europe is important to Celtic every year no matter the stakes domestically. We’ll approach the game with the intensity to go out and get a result,” Lennon said.
Yesterday after reporting on what Stan Petrov had to say about Celtic not dismissing European football this season to concentrate on Ten-in-a-Row we asked a hypothetical question – if you had to choose between winning Ten-in-a-Row or the Europa League, which one would you choose?
READ THIS…‘Petrov’ Poll – If you had to choose between winning Ten-in-a-Row or Europa League which would you go for?
Here’s the manager’s Media Conference courtesy of Celtic’s You Tube channel…
James Forrest is out for a while and will mis the match against the Rangers while Albian Ajeti has a minor hamstring issue after coming off at the weekend immediately after hammering the ball into the Hibs net for Celtic’s second goal of the afternoon. The former West Ham and FC Basel striker has a chance of being ready to face the Rangers. Neither player will travel to Bosnia today.
Better news concerning Christopher Jullien who is back in the squad after his back issue cleared up and he’ll be travelling with the party and in contention to play against FK Sarajevo.
“Ajeti won’t travel. Neither will James Forrest. We’re hoping Albian will be fit for Glasgow Derby but James will be out longer. Christopher Jullien is fit and back in the squad,” the manager revealed.
🦸🏼♂️ @Chri6ViF fit and back in the #CelticFC squad! 💪#FKSCEL #UEL pic.twitter.com/cF18Ok3TRj
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 30, 2020
The squad trained at Celtic Park earlier today ahead of the short journey to Glasgow Airport to catch the club’s charter flight to Bosnia.
#UEL training at Celtic Park ✅ pic.twitter.com/xiLWN2R6DM
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 30, 2020
“I think the performance against Hibs will give them a real boost. I thought we approached it brilliantly and played very well,” Lenny said.
On playing FK Sarajevo just over a year ago: “You can compare the games, but our team has changed. You can take bits and pieces from it. They’re in good form, won their last four. A physical team. They’ll give everything like Riga did and it will be a tough game.
😄🍀#FKSCEL #UEL pic.twitter.com/4xiiazL9l0
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 30, 2020
“Our away record in Europe has been pretty good in the past couple of years. That’s been building and progressing. Tomorrow night, I would like us to take our chances a bit earlier.
“Europe is important to Celtic every year no matter the stakes domestically. We’ll approach the game with the intensity to go out and get a result.”
📸 Final prep ahead of #FKSCEL…@FK_Sarajevo 🔜🇧🇦 pic.twitter.com/wsbD6YmiKJ
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 30, 2020
On Celtic’s busy schedule: “The squad are used to the busy schedule. This is our 6th game in a block of 7. We’ve also freshened things up here and there. Keeping them mentally and physically tuned in. The team have negotiated a lot of tricky games so far. The game at weekend, I thought we approached it brilliantly and played very well. In the second half we dominated and were in total control.”
Moi Elyounoussi also spoke to the Media today and we’ll cover that shortly.