“I think we have got to try and win our home games. I think we are a great test for Lazio as well. The game is there for us. It will be exciting. I think we have to test them,” Neil Lennon said at the club’s Media Conference yesterday, which you can watch below.
“People probably see Lazio as firm favourites and I get that. But we can beat anybody at home. If the players can replicate the last few performances at home, get the crowd going, get the juices going and get the tempo up, then we have a chance.”
The rumours around the Italian camp is that Inzaghi, the Lazio manager may not start his star player Immobile as he prioritises the league match at the weekend. All that chat is taken with a pint of salt by the Celtic manager who has been over this course many times as a player and as the boss.
“I think of the Juventus team we played here five or six years ago,” he said. “They were outstanding from front to back. I wouldn’t say Lazio are at that level currently, but they have still got some world-class players.
“In Immobile they have the best striker in the league at the minute, certainly in Serie A currently. He is very deceptive. You wouldn’t say he is lightning quick, but he is really sharp. He moves really quickly with the ball.”
“They play with two strikers,” he said. “They play quite close together as well so the understanding is very good. It is not something our back four will have come up against before – two bona fide centre forwards. We have obviously analysed that.
“He may or may not play. But they have got Caicedo as well who is an ex-Man City and Levante player. No matter who plays they will be good because they have got good strength in depth as well. Milinkovic-Savic is a top European player. They can come at you from different areas attacking wise. But I have seen plenty in ourselves to see we can cause them problems as well.”
Celtic certainly reached peak attacking form at the weekend and Lenny will be looking for the same approach this evening.
“If we find the same level we have a good chance of winning,” the Celtic manager said, as reported by Evening Times. “The atmosphere and the prestige of the game against Lazio all take care of themselves in terms of your mindset and motivation. It will lift the players. They should make the most of it.”
Here’s the manager speaking at yesterday’s Media Conference…
And Tommy Sheridan urging the support to give Lenny our full backing…see HERE.
David Potter’s Seven Magnificently Random Celtic stories continues this morning on The Celtic Star, Jambos the Champions? Only Kiddin’…see HERE.
Meanwhile some excellent content was posted through the night by young Lubo98 onto The Celtic Star. Here’s a quick recap for the non night owls…
Form book goes out the window as Lazio looms…see HERE.
Back to the Beginning, Celtic Park’s Euro Debut…see HERE.
And there’s an interesting comparison in this article posted late last night on Ryan Christie’s Media Conference yesterday. Compare and contrast the questions the Celtic midfielder is asked by the Scottish and then the Italian journalists…see HERE.
Finally we reckon tonight’s team picks itself. Normally it’s difficult to second guess Neil Lennon – on Saturday we got 10/1l correct, we reckoned that Elhamed would have started at right back rather than young Jeremie. Tonight though he’s not eligible as he wasn’t registered for the Europa League squad, so the team photograph before kick-off will look like this…
