Lennon bans Barca talk ahead of Tannadice trip

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is banning all talk of Barcelona ahead of the trip to Dundee United on Sunday.

Parkhead will be packed to the rafters next Wednesday night when the Catalan superstars arrive for their Champions League Group G clash with the Hoops.

Celtic’s narrow 2-1 defeat in the Nou Camp last week is still fresh in the mind but the Northern Irishman wants all the attention to be on the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and the game against United. After watching his side book a place in the Scottish Communities League Cup semi-finals last night with a 5-0 home thumping of St Johnstone, Lennon said: “We have three or four days before we play Dundee United and that is our main focus.

“Barcelona is coming up next week but I don’t want to talk about that until after Dundee United on Sunday.

“Before last night’s game I said to the players that last week they were well motivated, in a nice climate, going out at the Nou Camp.

“It was different (against St Johnstone), maybe 15,000 to 20,000 people there, but I said their attitude had to be the same and I got that.”

Indeed, Lennon witnessed his side return to top form against a Saints side whose eight-game unbeaten run come to an abrupt end.

Hoops midfielder Kris Commons was credited with a hat-trick although his first goal came when his shot took a deflection off St Johnstone midfielder Liam Craig.

Lennon, who will monitor the hamstring complaint Hooper picked up, praised his side for bouncing back from the 2-0 SPL defeat by Kilmarnock at the weekend with special words of encouragement for the former Nottingham Forest and Derby player.

He said: “Kris wasn’t at his best at the weekend but he gave me the response I asked for. That typified his season, he was bright, alert, his passing was quality and he has always been a good finisher so that will do him the world of good.

“It was a dominant performance and one that I wanted.”