Celtic 'don't fear Lazio' but may need to adapt to face quality side, admits Neil Lennon

Ciro Immobile scored twice against Atalanta yesterday

There is pizzazz and spectacle potentially offered up in Thursday’s sold-out Europa League visit of Italian heavyweights Lazio that will have all those of a Celtic disposition drooling.

Yet, the obsession with claiming a nine-in-a-row to set-up a tilt for a record ten straight league titles next year for the club’s supporters is such that a result in the midweek encounter will be nowhere near as prized as a victory at Pittodrie next Sunday. Europe is Celtic’s cake this season; the league represents their greens. Neil Lennon won’t modify his approach to two draining games inside 60 hours according to their perceived nutritional value for the club’s followers. Not when he also has to satisfy the insatiable appetites of his playing squad.“I think most fans would say no,” the Celtic manager said when asked if he considered they would put both Celtic’s game this week on a level.

“I think they would see the league as a priority, and I get that. While you’re in it, though, you’ve got to compete and do the club’s reputation well. I think it’s good for the players’ development as well. If I said to some players that I was going to leave them out against Lazio because we’ve got Aberdeen on the Sunday I’d have a few expletives coming at me.”Supporters fret about going to the wheel too many times with the same players and in both Europa League group games Lennon has started with an XI that would be considered his strongest side, Mohamed Elyounoussi having made the left-wing position his own in recent weeks.