Euro ties will be a one-off ...we can handle the heat
CELTIC EURO DATES
BY MICHAEL GANNON JAMES FORREST insists Celtic can negotiate the Champions League high wire and safely stride all the way to the group stage.
The champions will face three one-off clashes in the qualifiers before a two-legged play-off to join Europe’s big guns this season as part of UEFA’s revamped competitions.
Forrest said: “We were really good away from home in Europe last season. We beat Sarajevo and Nomme Kalju away then scored in a draw with Cluj.
“We’d have gone through if they’d been one-off matches last season.
“The qualifiers will be one-off games in the new season but we can look to them with some confidence.
“We’re used to playing teams in different countries and in different environments. The boys have gained a lot of experience.
“It can be a case of backs against the wall sometimes in Europe when you’re playing away from home. But we’ve managed to put in some big performances and get big results in Europe, including against Lazio.
“It will be different but I think it will show the strength of character the players in the team have.
“I’m sure we’ll be able to get some positive results.”
Forrest has been a Euro specialist for Celts in recent years with key goals in qualifiers against Rosenborg, AIK Stockholm and Cluj and in the Europa League group stage against Lazio.
The 28-year-old was gutted to miss out on the Champions League and then going down to Copenhagen in the last 32 of the Europa.
But he reckons Celtic will be stronger this time after their rollercoaster last term.
Forrest said: “There were disappointments in Europe last season but there were a lot of positives as well and we can take that into this season.
“I scored in a few goals in European games last season and will obviously be trying to do so again if I can. But all the lads have shown they’re capable of scoring.
“Last season the European campaign was really positive – apart from just a couple of bad results against Cluj and Copenhagen at home. We did really well in our Europa League group and played really well away to Copenhagen. But we didn’t do ourselves justice at home.
“The players all want to build on what we achieved in the Europa League last season.”
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2020-21 Preliminary rd Aug 8 and Aug 11. First qualifying rd Aug 18-19. Second qualifying rd Aug 25-26. Third qualifying rd Sep 15-16. Play-offs Sep 22-23 and Sep 29-30. Group stage Oct 20-21 and 27-28, Nov 3-4 and 24-25, Dec 1-2 and 8-9.