Celtic are 'not a great team', say Swiss side Sion

SION players did not hold back with their verdict on Celtic after their first leg stalemate at Parkhead. The Swiss outfit held Celtic to a goalless draw and the Parkhead side now face an uphill task to get through to the Europa League group stage.

Goran Obradovic, the Sion captain, said he was far from impressed with the Celtic team - but loved the Parkhead atmosphere. He said: "They are not a great team. I expected much more from them. This is not the great Celtic team of ten years ago.

"I certainly don't think we are inferior to them in any way. Celtic were completely lacking in variety, although I suppose we shouldn't complain too much about that. But the atmosphere and the singing was brilliant. I would love to play every week to fans like that."

Obradovic's view was echoed by team mate Arnaud Buhler, who couldn't believe that Celtic didn't put Sion under more pressure.

He said: "I think they were surprised at how well we moved the ball around. I expected this to be hell and be under so much more pressure. We believed in ourselves and we have the advantage now.

"The atmosphere in the ground was wonderful. You don't get that in Switzerland, except perhaps at Basel, because football isn't as popular as it is here."

And Giovanni Sio was another Sion player who was surprised at how poor Neil Lennon's side were. He admitted: "I thought Celtic were average. Certainly, their players are no better than ours."

But Derek McInnes, who takes his St Johnstone side to Parkhead tomorrow on SPL duty, defended Celtic when asked yesterday about Thursday night's poor Europa League results for Scottish clubs.

McInnes has backed both Old Firm clubs to progress to the group stages of the Europa League and insists it is not all doom and gloom for Scottish football, despite scathing headlines in the wake of the play-off first legs.

He said: "Nobody wants to hear it. It gives fuel to everybody who just wants to run our game down and condemn it. We have had some good European campaigns in the past.

"For Hearts, it was always going to be a massive ask. Nobody probably expected them to get turned over 5-0 but sometimes it's difficult and that one result has probably impacted the most.

"I think Rangers will go through and I think Celtic will go through. With the early start (to the season] that was brought in to try to help our clubs in Europe, it looks like that hasn't been the case but it's too early to judge it.

"We will see how many teams go through from the three teams remaining and I think both the Old Firm will go through.

"Hopefully if they do go through, they can progress and show the quality they possess."

McInnes watched the action at Celtic Park on Thursday night and knows Neil Lennon's men will be keen to bounce back with a victory over Saints tomorrow.He said: "Teams like Celtic and Rangers always have a point to prove, they have always got that pressure to go and win games. They will be disappointed with not winning that game but looking at the two teams, if I was a betting man, I would bet Celtic to get through the tie.

"I think they've got better players than the ones they were up against and I think they are capable of scoring over there.

"They were a wee bit slack by their own standards in the first half but sometimes that can happen."

Saints make the trip to the east end of Glasgow still searching for their first win, and first goal, of the new season.

McInnes added: "Celtic have got players who can punish you if you switch off for a second so we have to make sure we have real concentration about us.

"Celtic can hurt you if you're not ready for it."