Tonight could come down to which version of Celtic shows up.

As we sit here preparing for tonight’s game, we’re all wondering: which version of Celtic will show up? It’s a fair question, and one the manager will have to ask himself and the players. It may well decide the outcome.

So far this season in Europe, we’ve seen three very different sides of Celtic. There was the Celtic Park version, where we swept aside Bratislava. Then the Dortmund version, where we went gung-ho in entirely the wrong place, leaving ourselves exposed. And finally, there was the Atalanta version, a more cautious, counter-attacking approach.

So, which approach do we take tonight?

The safe option is to play in the same way we did against Atalanta: contain the opposition, look to break quickly, and attack down the wings. I understand the thinking behind this and see the logic in a cautious game plan. But personally, I don’t want to see that at home.

We’re up against a solid side, but not a world-beating one. I believe we should be able to hold our own against Leipzig at home. The difference between the Bratislava game and the Dortmund game was night and day: against Dortmund, we were too aggressive, pushing so far up the pitch that we left huge gaps between our midfield and defence, which they exploited with ease. Trying to match their front-foot football on their own turf was reckless.

Leipzig will likely sit back a bit, feeling their way into the game. That’s where our chance lies. If we can start strong, play aggressively, and take the game to them in the first 20 minutes, an early goal could set us up for a fantastic night.

I would adopt the Bratislava approach: start fast, get in their faces, and try for an early goal to get the crowd going. We don’t want to let Leipzig grow into the game, settle into a rhythm, or adapt to the atmosphere. We should hit them like a freight train from the first whistle, aiming to turn up the volume and get the fans roaring.

Home advantage is huge in this competition. Aggressive home sides are treated with respect by visiting teams, who tend to play conservatively. Count on Leipzig having seen the Dortmund and Bratislava matches. They’ll know we’re capable of punishing teams that leave themselves open.

So, I doubt they’ll go all-out attacking; they’ll likely try to contain us. That’s where we need to capitalise. If we start well and score first, we’ll enjoy the night.

There are some aspects of our play that will need to mirror the Atalanta game more than the Dortmund one. We’ll have to avoid those dangerous gaps between midfield and defence. We can’t leave ourselves wide open; that would be inviting trouble. We need to play close, disrupt their creativity, and make it clear that this is our house.

They’ve had a poor start in this tournament and need points. That urgency might make them more dangerous, but it’s also the worst time for them to face us. We’re fresh off a strong showing at Hampden, where we dominated our closest league rivals, and we’ve already taken four points in this competition – more than some expected.

This is a confident Celtic side, playing in front of its own fans. Leipzig will have to show us respect, and we should be sensible enough to do the same. So, while I want us to start on the front foot, if we do score early, the question then becomes whether to press on or switch to containment. There will be a moment in the game for shutting down and holding our ground.

Tonight won’t be easy by any stretch.

It’ll be tight and hard-fought.

But we need to put Leipzig under pressure, make them sweat, and keep them defending. The more we can disrupt their rhythm and force them onto the back foot, the better. They’ll have chances, and they’ll be waiting for us to overreach.

We won’t see a repeat of the Bratislava result, but they won’t see a repeat of the Dortmund one, either. I expect something similar to the Atalanta game – low scoring, tactical – but the first goal will be crucial. We need to make them worry from the very first minute, and that’s why I believe we should start strong. Do that, and we’ll come away with a win.