UEFA Champions League Preview: Lennon urges Celtic to attack

Neil Lennon’s Celtic will adopt an attacking approach against Elfsborg in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round on Wednesday.

The Scottish champions meet Jorgen Lennartsson’s men at Celtic Park having eased past Cliftonville in the last round and Lennon will look to get on the front foot from the off.

“We will go and try and take the game to Elfsborg and put them under pressure like we always do at home,” he told the club’s official website.

“A clean sheet would be a huge bonus but these players know they can score away from home. It’s a two-game tie, so even if the result isn’t brilliant or in the balance, we know we can go there and get a result.”

The game will be Celtic’s second in this season’s competition, although a number of big names are set to make their bow in this year’s event, including Eredivisie outfit PSV and French side Lyon.

Remi Garde’s men will look to get off to a good start when they welcome Grasshopper to the Stade de Gerland while former European champions PSV entertain Belgium side Zulte Waregem.

Steaua Bucharest, European champions in 1986, are in action against Dinamo Tbilisi.

Austrian pair Salzburg and Austria Vienna are both at home, against Fenerbahce and FH respectively, while Swiss champions Basel host Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Shakter’s reward for knocking out BATE is a home tie against Skenderbeu with Dinamo Zagreb, also winners in the last round, welcoming Moldovan side Sheriff.

Russian Premier League runners-up Zenit St Petersburg travel to Denmark for their clash with FC Nordsjaelland, while Ukrainian side Metalist face PAOK in Salonika.

Former Champions League winner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will look to take his Molde side one step further than last year and reach the play-offs by beating Legia.

The remaining ties see Kalju take on Plzen in Tallinn, while Ludogorets face Partizan and APOEL host Maribor.