Lennon urges Celtic to seize their chance of redemption

By his own typically frank admission, Lennon is a lucky man to have another opportunity to make a positive impact in continental competition. While gratified by Uefa’s decision to throw Sion out of the tournament and grant Celtic their place in Group I of the competition, Lennon remains keenly aware it does not absolve his team from the deficiencies in their performance in losing 3-1 on aggregate to the Swiss side in last month’s Play-Off round tie.

Now that Sion president Christian Constantin’s almost maniacal efforts to have his club’s expulsion overturned have faltered, with Tuesday night’s unusual personal intervention of Uefa president Michel Platini finally confirming Celtic’s participation, Lennon hopes to see his players start to earn some kudos and credibility on the field.

Tonight’s opening group stage fixture against 2010 Europa League winners Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon Stadium is as tough as Celtic could have faced but the manager is relishing the opportunity to make up for previous calamities in Europe.

“We have been very fortunate to get a second chance,” said Lennon. “For the lads who didn’t play so well in Sion, it is a good chance of redemption for them. It’s a Champions League standard group in any other year with Udinese and Rennes also in with us.

“These are the games we want to play in, to develop this team. This is a good opportunity, as part of their development, to get redemption and a wee bit of pride back.”

Lennon and his players cannot be expected to take all of the blame for Celtic’s now infamously poor away record in Europe but the onus is on them to improve it.

Discounting the 3-0 scoreline in their favour which goes into the record books as a result of Sion forfeiting the Play-Off round tie, Celtic have won just once in their previous 30 excursions stretching back eight years. “Our away record is there for everyone to see and it’s poor,” added Lennon.

“But records are there to be broken and the players are really motivated to try and change it. They might as well start off here against Atletico.”

Celtic’s brittleness away from Parkhead in Europe is reflected by the bookmakers’ odds of 7-1 on them achieving a victory in the Spanish capital tonight.

But Lennon sees hope in Atletico’s stuttering start to their La Liga campaign where they have so far failed to score and taken just one point from their first two games.

“They are a good side, although they have not hit the ground running in terms of their league form,” he said.

“We have. We have got a lot of confidence from the way we have been playing in the last few games.

“I want the players to show what they are capable of. They probably haven’t done in that in the away games under me in Europe so far.

“Coming off the back of a really good performance and result against Motherwell on Saturday, we can look forward to this one.

“The pressure is not on us for a change, we are going into the game as underdogs. That will be a bit of a change for the players.

“It won’t be all doom and gloom if we do get beat, because it’s a group situation and we will have another five games to go. But we will have a go over here. It’s a great stadium and a great occasion.”

His commitment to an adventurous approach, however, will not extend to fielding two strikers. Anthony Stokes’ absence because of a thigh injury has reduced his attacking options in any case but Lennon was always likely to favour a 4-5-1 formation which he will hope becomes a 4-3-3 whenever his side get forward.

“We could play with two up, but if you do that you leave yourselves vulnerable and maybe outnumbered in midfield,” he added.

“I’m looking for the players to express themselves and show some tactical discipline as well. I want us not to shoot ourselves in the feet, I want us not to get beat.

“But we are not coming here just to defend, because I think it is impossible to do that anyway. If you do that, you just invite pressure after pressure. With the players we have, I don’t think it’s in their mindset to do that anyway. I want them to show they are capable of competing at this level.

“I think the style of football Atletico play might suit us as well. We are under no illusions that, going forward, they have got some great attacking options with Jose Antonio Reyes and Falcao. Their midfield is well balanced too.

“We have had them watched a couple of times and they are an excellent side, there is no doubt about that. But I think some of the players we have are capable of performing at this level very, very well.

“We know we will have to be at our best but there is no reason why we can’t be.”