Adam Idah insists Celtic will show no fear as they look to bash Club Brugge and blaze a trail to the Champions League knockout stages.
The Hoops will square up with the Belgians at Parkhead on Wednesday – and victory could see Brendan Rodgers men all but seal a spot in the play-off round after the New Year. Idah admitted he’s not even looked at the Champions League table – but he’s confident Celts can produce another big Euro East End night under the lights on the back of thrilling wins against Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig.
The hitman said: “We feel we can compete with anyone – 100 percent. The Dortmund game wasn’t the best night but before the game we got together as a group and we had confidence we could win. That’s what this season has been about. We are not afraid to play anyone. You saw that in the Leipzig game. We showed what we were there to do and we feel we can go head-to-head with any team.”
Celtic also picked up a morale-boosting point on the road against Atalanta to bounce back from getting battered by Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Idah admitted there’s something special about the Champions League games in Glasgow and he’s determined to add to his goal account after notching in the 5-1 Bratislava beating on match day one.
Brugge will be another tough test with the Belgians on the back of a stunning victory against Aston Villa in the last round of fixtures and still in the hunt to get beyond the group section. But Idah said: “We do relish the home games. It’s unbelievable. The first game against Bratislava was something I’ll never forget.
“Every time you have a Champions League game it’s really exciting – and you want to win these games. We have been really good so far so we need to keep pushing and hopefully doing well.”
Idah is going all out for three points but he admitted he’s not even glanced at the current Champions League standings. Celtic could hit the 10 point mark with a victory against Brugge – with most stattos suggesting that total would be enough to secure progress from the group stages for the first time in more than a decade.
Idah’s focus is on the immediate challenge and making it another night to remember at Celtic Park. He said: “I’ve not really looked at it. For us as a group we’ve really taken each game as it comes.
“I don’t think I’ve looked at the table once – and I don’t know where we are going in. It’s about us getting as many points as we can and scoring as many goals as we can in the games. Then we’ll see where we are.”
Meanwhile Celtic defender Liam Scales has scooped a major award after being named Eire’s top overseas player at PFA Ireland’s annual awards bash at the weekend. The centre back has been in top form for club and country over the last 12 months after helping the Hoops land a double while cementing his spot in the national team.