Champions League 'Friendly' stiffens resolve to win SPL

Hartley insists that there will be no friendly atmosphere to the tie despite the fact that Villarreal have already qualified for the next stage and the Celts are out of the tourney, and indeed all European competition, for this season. Celtic will be looking for the win and all three points "We're approaching it as we do any other game. You have to be focused." he said "We want to win and keep our home record intact as we are unbeaten this season here in the Champions League so the incentives are there. We want to go out and put on a good show."

The fans are rightly proud of their team's wonderful Champions League record at Celtic Park and the players aim to further enhance the reputation of 'Fortress Parkhead' tonight "You want to play against the best, and Villarreal are one of the best teams in the Champions League." said the player nick-named Zico "But when we're at home I think we're as good as anyone and we don't fear anyone. Our home record speaks for itself so we go into this game with a lot of confidence and hopeful we can win it."

Participation in the Champions League is a source of professional and personal pride for the players who reach that pinnacle. Paul Hartley is a late starter in European football's top competition and he knows that to sample more of these wonderful Euro nights at Celtic Park they must successfully defend their SPL title "The only way you build for next year's European adventure is by doing well in the league. I've always said the league is our bread and butter and hopefully you retain the title and that gets you back into the Champions League."

Shaun Maloney feels that the team owe the fans a performance to make up for the disappointment of the loss to Aalborg "We will still have pride in our home form and in playing in front of our own supporters, we'll give it our all, we will be playing to get the three points because we do not want to lose that home record. I can see why the night is a bit of an anti-climax for some supporters, but we will need to try and do our best to give something back to them." he said "I just feel frustration. I think there have been periods in each game where we have played well but it's a fine line. In the second half against Villarreal, they were very dominant and at Old Trafford it was a similar story."

"But if you look at our game against Manchester United at home and our performance in the first hour away against Aalborg," he continued "you see how fine a line it is between qualifying and not going through. This year we were just that little bit off and it's resulted in us not being in Europe. The bottom line is that the boys who made such a magnificent effort last year earned their right to play in the Champions League. I am really hopefully that we can do the same this year and have another crack at it next season."