Celtic v Helsingborgs: Thomas Rogne seeks improvement as Celtic set out to build on lead

Goals by Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras in Sweden ensured Celtic are firm favourites to progress to the Champions League group stages. But Fraser Forster made several excellent saves in a first half where the hosts were able to cut open the Celtic defence.

“We’ve played better games,” Rogne said. “Fraser kept us in it, especially in the first half.

“I wouldn’t say we were lucky but the result could have been different, and we could have scored more at the end as well.

“I know we can play better than we did but the result was massive. We can step up our game and hopefully we can do that on Wednesday. We are confident because we got a good result away from home which was important, but it’s not finished as 2-0 is a difficult lead.

“They have nothing to lose and they will want to come here and play their football. They showed last week they are a good team, so it will be a tough game but we’re all looking forward to it. We believe in ourselves, our team and group, and believe we can get a good result on Wednesday.”

Having lost their SPL rivalry with Rangers, the Champions League has become the main focus of Celtic’s season and Rogne is desperate to sample big European nights at Celtic Park.

“It’s very important,” said Rogne. “At the beginning of the season that was the biggest thing.

“That’s what we trained for, that’s why we went to Europe in pre-season and didn’t travel so far, and did the preparation we did.

“There have been some fantastic nights at Celtic Park and it looks just amazing.

“We haven’t been there for a while and Celtic are a massive club who should and deserve to be it and hopefully this time we can. But first we have to get there, and that’s the main thing.”

Meanwhile, Helsingborgs coach Age Hareide accused his players of having a soft centre, and ordered them to shape up before they face Celtic.

The Swedes lost their third consecutive game on Saturday when going down 3-1 at Djurgarden. It followed defeat by Elfsborg and a 2-0 loss to Neil Lennon’s men in the space of a week.

Helsingborgs last lost three matches in a row in 2009, and Norwegian Hareide has now criticised his squad’s lack of fight ahead of the Champions League play-off second leg at Parkhead. “The players at my old club Rosenberg were used to working hard,” he said. “They dealt with a lot of matches and plenty of training. Our guys at Helsingborgs must endure longer and tougher training. It is clearly necessary. Football hurts at times. Sometimes it’s hellishly difficult to win, and we have to learn.

“We have a lot of young lads who need to understand that it is a physical game at times. You need to use your head as well as your legs.

“To play at international level you must be able to play two games a week. It is a lesson for them.”