Uefa Cup: O’Neill focussed on the positives

Martin O’Neill wishes Celtic would have been handed an easier UEFA Cup tie than Valencia - but insists his side have nothing to fear.

Their reward for finishing behind Juventus and Porto in Champions League Group E has been to draw the Spanish giants in the third round.

Valencia have been in the last two European Cup finals, but they have lost manager Hector Cuper to Inter Milan and star man Giazka Mendieta to Juventus.

And the Celtic boss certainly fancies his chances of progressing if they can produce the kind of display that beat the Italians 4-3 in midweek.

‘‘Well it’s a very difficult draw for us,’’ admitted O’Neill. ‘‘But why not?

‘‘The way we played the other evening suggests we are certainly a match for sides if we can repeat that form.

‘‘Obviously the games are going to be very difficult, but it’s one to look forward to and one for the fans to look forward to.

‘‘I would have preferred it if we had somebody easier, but I think that was asking a lot.

‘‘Now we have the UEFA Cup to look forward to and we have certainly a great game ahead of us.

‘‘I wish it would have been a wee bit easier as they have been in two European Cup finals on the trot. But the fans will be looking forward to it.

‘‘And if we could reproduce the form, which will be very difficult, from the other evening then we will be more than a match for these sides.’’

Celtic defender Johan Mjallby reckons that Valencia was the most difficult draw they could have been handed - and are still one of the best in Europe.

The Swedish star denies that they will be weaker with the departure of star names, but feels that they have already proved they are a match for anyone.

Mjallby added: ‘‘Yes, they were probably the toughest draw we could have got and they are a top-quality side and one of the best in Europe.

‘‘But it’s a game of football and we have to show what we can do, but it’s going to be tough.

‘‘I think they are doing quite well in the Spanish league right now anyway and if you look at the last two years they have been in the final of the Champions League so they can’t have gone down that much.

‘‘Obviously Mendieta and Claudio Lopez have gone, but I think they still have a lot of quality in the team.

‘‘Hopefully if we can get a good result then it will be a good draw to be away first, but it’s going to be difficult there and here as well.

‘‘We are looking forward to it and we knew we were going to get a hard game anyway, but obviously Valencia is the hardest one.

‘‘We have to look forward to it and go out and do our best and in that respect it was great to finish on a high.

‘‘We were obviously disappointed not to go through in second place in the Champions League, but we have showed that we are a good side in our own right and hopefully we can go on and play like we did on Wednesday.’’