The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Griffiths switches focus to Bayern after Hoops equal record
Leigh Griffiths believes Bayern Munich will see Celtic in a much better light at Celtic Park tomorrow night.
The Hoops were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by the German giants in their Champions League Group B encounter at the Allianz Arena earlier in the month.
Griffiths scored in the home 1-1 Ladbrokes Premiership draw against Kilmarnock on Saturday which equalled the club’s 62-game unbeaten domestic run which dated back to Willie Maley’s Celtic side of 1917.
The 27-year-old Scotland striker then turned his attention to Bayern, encouraged by the secondhalf display in Germany.
He said: “I think the game will be different here, especially with the crowd getting behind us. They will roar us on from start to finish.
“You’ve seen the second half when we were much more disciplined to go and play, we created good chances to score goals.
“If we can replicate the last half hour we played over there then we give ourselves a good shot.
“It is going to be a difficult night for us but as you have seen previously, big teams have been turned over when they came here.”
In a much-changed Celtic starting line-up Griffiths returned at the expense of fit-again Moussa Dembele, who showed he was back to form with a double in the commanding 3-0 win over title rivals Aberdeen last Wednesday night.
The former Wolves and Hibernian player knows he is again in a fight with the French striker for the starting berth.
He said: “As a striker you want to score goals and play well. Moussa came back and is fit, he had to wait for his chance and he took it with aplomb.
“So I was back in and scored a goal and we need to see what happens on Tuesday.
“You know how good a player Moussa is. I am a striker, I want to be selfish and in the team but ultimately it is down to the manager and who he sees fit to start the game.
“Whether it is me or Moussa we will give 100%, it is all about the team, not individuals.”
Griffiths converted a fine pass from midfielder Eboue Kouassi in the 43rd minute but Jordan Jones levelled on the hour-mark for Killie to keep them off the bottom of the table at the expense of Dundee but only on goal difference.
After drawing 1-1 with Rangers at Ibrox in his first game in charge of the Ayrshire club last Wednesday night, boss Steve Clarke is looking to continue the improvement against Hibernian tomorrow night.
The former West Brom boss said: “Both results should help the confidence of the players. But we don’t get too carried away, it is only two points and you have to win games in this league.
“There is another tough one on Tuesday night. My first home game is Hibs at home and Hibs are doing very well under Neil Lennon so I have told them to go home, rest and go again on Tuesday night.”