Lennon hopes Hoops have a Euro hangover
Neil Lennon is praying Celtic return from Munich with a European hangover as he seeks to mastermind a way past his former club in Saturday’ s Bet fred League Cup semi-final.
A former captain and manager of the Hoops, the Hibs boss was no stranger to marquee Champions League nights, and the challenges posed by returning to domestic duty after exhausting exertions on the Continent.
And fixtures do not come much more mouthwatering, and gruelling, than a trip to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern.
Lennon is ready to take any advantage he can against Brendan Rodgers’ all-conquering Bhoys.
He said :“Any advantage we can take from Celtic being in Munich, we will have to.
“They will maybe only have a day-and-a-half to recover. We are going to try to make the most of that.
“The mental and physical approach coming from European games to domestic matches is really difficult.
“Sub-consciously with players, you are on a high with the Champions League – and then you dip after the game. Then you’ve got to try to pick yourself back up again.
“Even from my own playing experiences, it is difficult to recover as quickly as you’d have liked.
“Does that mean you can catch them earlier in the game, catch them cold? Or maybe wear them down later on? It can work both ways.
“Maybe the fact that it’s a semi-final might make it easier for the Celtic players to zip themselves up again.
“The fact is they’ve a squad that has got real depth, power and pace.
“So whatever team Brendan Rodgers plays on Wednesday, and whatever team he plays on Saturday, they will be very strong, I imagine.
“There will be a different approach in both games from him as well, I’d imagine.”
There will be no sense of inferiority among the Hibs players following their fine display at Parkhead a fortnight ago, and Lennon sees no reason why his players cannot go one better at Hampden.
Lennon said: “I was delighted with the way we played at Celtic Park, delighted with the way we forced the issues, delighted with the way we kept our composure, and were patient.
“In the second half, we played really strongly, which we were delighted with.
“Of course, the next obstacle is the biggest one you can get in Scottish football.
“But if you’re going to win it, you have to beat everyone and that’s how we’ll approach it.
“We’ll try to play as well as we did at Celtic Park, with that same bravery and mentality.”