Celtic get UEFA cure for Champions League hangover

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill admits his side have been suffering from a hangover since their Champions League agony in Switzerland.

A return to the money-spinning group stages was heartbreakingly snatched from the Scottish champions after going down to FC Basle.

Despite Celtic winning games since, O’Neill admits the club have been in a state of depression since that result as they go into tonight’s UEFA Cup first round first leg tie with FK Suduva.

“We haven’t played at our best,” said O’Neill.

“We have done it in periods, but you are going to get that during the season.

“Remarkably we probably played much better against Motherwell and lost the game than we did here on Saturday against Hibernian.

“There is a very obvious disappointment from the playing side and what the club could have earned from it.

“To me that’s of secondary importance. To get the money to spend on players is great, but we have done without that money for many years.

“There was a definite disappointment and it can hang around for a while, but it’s got nothing to do with us losing at Motherwell.

“We lost at Motherwell because we didn’t take our chances, but the atmosphere at the training ground was very quiet for a few days.

“I felt just recently the boys are getting over it now and you have to move on. You don’t have time to dwell on it forever.

“I’m the worst because I do take time to get over it, but now it’s time to go on.”

Young striker Shaun Maloney admits the Swiss disaster got the players down.

But the Scotland Under-21 international is hoping they can “put that right” with success in the UEFA Cup.

“There was a bit of a depression especially after that game,” admitted Maloney.

“But we bounced back quite quickly because there was a game a few days later against Livingston.

“We still remember what happened, but hopefully we can put that right in the UEFA Cup.”

O’Neill has warned his side against the tricky threat of the unknown Lithuanian outfit. They have been struggling domestically, but he is refusing to underestimate them.

“They can look after themselves and they like to play,” revealed O’Neill.

“In the games that I’ve seen them they have mixed it up. They went long and they went short. We have to be ready for them.”

Meanwhile, the Celtic boss has laughed off reports that Brazilian midfielder Kleberson is set for a January move to Parkhead.

O’Neill made a deadline day move for the 23-year-old Atletico Paranense star, but despite failing his agent Mario Iramina feels that the move could still happen when the transfer window opens again.

But the Celtic boss insisted: “That’s definitely news to me.”

FK Suduva coach Algimantas Gabrys believes his side can pull off a shock.

The Lithuanians come to Parkhead on a high after their qualifying victory over Brann and are confident of pulling off another coup despite Celtic’s Champions League experience of last season.

Gabrys said: “We are coming here to play and we are capable of getting a result.

“My players are all young and we have an average age of 22 or 23, but all my players can shock Celtic like they did Brann.

“We are confident after beating Brann in the two games and, although we are young, we have the ability to produce shocks.”