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Lennon confident Celtic players will be up for Spartak clash

Celtic manager Neil Lennon feels his side will step up when they meet Spartak Moscow in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Hoops were held to a 1-1 draw by Second Division club Arbroath in the Scottish Cup on Saturday but Lennon does not believe that lackluster showing will be repeated when they attempt to qualify for the knockout stage of Europe's premier club competition at Celtic Park.

"I haven't got major problems at all, the only thing is it is another fixture, but we have to end this bogey of not winning at home. It was a good team we put out and that was reflected in the play. We were complacent in front of goal and that's what cost us the win," Lennon told reporters. "We have missed a hatful of chances to see the game off but we are still in the competition. I wanted to use my squad today and I learned some things about some players. I learned that I can't have a couple of people in the wall because they seem to want to jump out of the way.

"It will have absolutely no bearing on Wednesday whatsoever," he added.

"It will be a different team out there, a different opposition, a different atmosphere and a different prize at the end of it so the players will be fully focused and I am hoping to get a different scoreline."

Celtic needs to better the result that Benfica produces at Barcelona if they want to move through to the Round of 16 in the Champions League.

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Andrew Slevison
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