Celtic boss Neil Lennon: We’ve learned and improved from Cluj nightmare

Neil Lennon believes Celtic have learned and improved from the bitter experience of their Champions League collapse against Cluj as they go into tonight’s Europa League last-32 clash with Copenhagen in identical circumstances.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon addresses the media ahead of the Europa League last-32 second leg against Copenhagen. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS

Celtic appeared to have done the hard part of the job in August when they drew 1-1 with Cluj in Romania in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie.

But the champions were stunned in the return fixture at Celtic Park when, despite leading twice on the night, they lost 4-3 to miss out on the chance to reach the group stage of Europe’s elite club competition.

Celtic are again in a promising position against Copenhagen after scoring a valuable away goal in the 1-1 draw in the Danish capital last week.

Lennon is keen to stress that his team are taking nothing for granted as they attempt to complete the club’s first post-group stage knockout tie triumph in Europe since the Uefa Cup fourth round success against Barcelona back in 2004.

But he is confident his players are now more equipped to handle a tie which remains in the balance as they eye a place in Friday’s Europa League last 16 draw.

“I think we are in a better place now than we were against Cluj,” said the Celtic manager. “We were just all finding our feet then, really. Look at the likes of Christopher Jullien in defence now, while Fraser Forster has come in since then and some of the other players are up to top speed.

“Some players are playing out of their skin just now so I think we’re in a better place than we were going into that Cluj game.

“But there’s no chance we are taking it for granted. You can’t take any opposition lightly at all. Copenhagen have a good manager in Stale Solbakken, who’s very experienced and has been doing the European bit for a long time now. You could see that in the second half last week when they put us under pressure.”

Lennon is boosted by the return from injury of captain Scott Brown and winger James Forrest who both missed last Sunday’s Premiership win over Kilmarnock. But French midfielder Olivier Ntcham remains unavailable, while playmaker Ryan Christie missed out through suspension as a consequence of the booking he received in the first leg.