Lennon wants to take game to Milan

Celtic boss Neil Lennon believes qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League this time around will be an even more impressive achievement than last year's success in the competition.

The Hoops progressed to the knockout stages last season from a group that also included Benfica, Spartak Moscow and Barcelona, before eventually exiting to Juventus.

This year saw them grouped once again with the Catalan giants, as well as AC Milan and Ajax, with mixed results so far.

Ahead of tonight's game (7.45pm), Lennon was asked if qualification this year would be a bigger achievement.

"Unquestionably, yes," he said. "I think it's a tougher group and we are in a rebuilding process at the minute. While that rebuilding is going on, we are still trying to be successful.

"At any time, if we were to qualify from a group as illustrious as this one it would be a fantastic achievement, but even more so with the current state of the squad."

The Scottish champions sit bottom of Group H but a win over Milan - combined with Barcelona denying Ajax victory - would see them move into second spot.

"We are playing against a very good side, despite what their recent league form is maybe showing" - Neil Lennon

As far as Lennon is concerned, tonight's clash is now one of the biggest games of the season.

He said: "Certainly in the context of the Champions League it is. It's a game we have to win to have any chance of qualifying.

"It's a great game for the players to be involved in. We have performed very well in the group apart from the first half in Amsterdam, so I want that to continue.

"I don't think we need much incentive or motivation for the game. We are playing against a very good side, despite what their recent league form is maybe showing.

"I watched their game on Saturday and they dominated the game against Genoa and were unfortunate not to win the game.

"Some of the football they played, and the tempo they played at, was of a very high calibre."

Lennon added: "We will try to take the game to Milan at every opportunity.

"That's the way we always play and have done historically in the Champions League at home, whether it be under myself, Gordon Strachan or Martin O'Neill.

"That's imperative and I think the fans will want that. Whether we can do it or not is another thing.

"We will try to dictate the game but how much Milan allow us to do that remains to be seen."

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