Maloney Urges Celtic Players to Fight for Club's Reputation in Europe

Assistant manager Shaun Maloney has called on Celtic players to fight for the club's reputation in European competition, stressing the importance of their performances given the club's storied history.

Celtic has faced an uphill battle in the Europa League campaign, having been eliminated from the Champions League and suffering defeats to Ferencvaros and Benfica in their opening Europa League matches. The team faces Celta Vigo next, needing a positive result to have any chance of advancing to the knockout stages.

Maloney highlighted that with the 60th anniversary of the Lisbon Lions approaching, the current players must recognize the significance of the European arena.

"Our reputation in Europe is really important," Maloney stated. "The European games are so important to the club and the history of the club that you have to go for it. This is now a really, really important game."

He acknowledged that the team has significant work to do to compete, especially after recent losses. However, Maloney pointed to other clubs with similar budgets that have achieved deep runs in European tournaments, suggesting this should be Celtic's aspiration.

"We're obviously not there now but that is what we should aspire to," he said. "Even with our budget in terms of the European stage, we should be trying to get as far in European competition as we possibly can. Recently clubs with a similar budget have done it so that has to be our motivation."

Maloney also addressed the club's ambition, expressing hope that it aligns with that of the fanbase. He recognized the disappointment of supporters, including the Green Brigade's boycott of the upcoming match against Celta Vigo as a protest against the club's management. He respects the fans' decisions while hoping for a return to unity.

"I hope so," Maloney said when asked if the club shared the same level of ambition as the supporters. "Every supporter is desperate for that. They are desperate to get back to the Champions League, which will be hard as we have to win our own domestic league first."

He added that he hopes for a situation where the club and supporters are united again, referencing the positive atmosphere during recent matches.

Despite returning to training, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston will miss the upcoming match. Auston Trusty is also unavailable due to a personal issue. Manager Martin O'Neill will be present in the dugout after missing the pre-match media conference for personal reasons.