Even With A Patch-Work Team, This Celtic Manager Still Wants To Reign In Spain.

Listening to Ange yesterday as he laid out our priorities for tonight’s game was interesting for his lack of fear.

We have injury issues going into this one, with a number of key players out, but the man at the helm of our club is determined not to be downbeat.

Aside from telling the players they must look to make their own history, Ange vowed not to play for a point but to attempt to win the match.

Not for this guy hiding behind excuses; even with a patch-work team Ange wants to go to Spain and win, something has alluded all his predecessors.

The task is immensely difficult, and would have been had we been able to go there with a full-strength side.

But Ange refuses to consider it mission impossible, which speaks volumes for his confidence.

Defensively, we need to keep it tight. Few believe that the absence of Taylor will be too terrible a blow, as Juranovic has proved he can play on the left, but the manager’s choices at central defence will be interesting.

Just as important is what midfield there is to protect our backline.

You’d think McGregor being out would give James McCarthy his best opportunity yet to show what he can do … if he starts instead of Soro.

The manager has a difficult choice to make there too.

But difficult choices are part of the job, and Ange has not shirked from them and he won’t.

At a time when this club appears to lack either leadership or vision in the boardroom he provides us with both in the place that truly matters.

He allows no excuses.

He maintains that we must always seek to win.

He believes that the first principle a Celtic manager should hold to is that the opposition must be wary of us, that we should never take the field afraid of any side.

And that’s why we have a chance tonight, because this manager is determined to instil that belief in this team and indeed this whole club.