O'Neill Urges Celtic to Channel 1967 Spirit Against Benfica

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has called on his players to draw inspiration from the club's iconic 1967 Lisbon Lions victory as they prepare to face Portuguese side Benfica in the Europa League. The Scottish club faces a formidable challenge against a Benfica team considered among the competition's favorites.

This season marks the 60th anniversary of Celtic's European Cup win against Inter Milan, a historic achievement that O'Neill hopes will galvanize his squad. Thousands of Celtic supporters have traveled to Lisbon, underscoring the significance of the city in the club's history.

Benfica began their Europa League campaign with a strong 2-0 away win against AC Milan. In contrast, Celtic suffered an opening-match defeat, losing 3-1 at home to Ferencvaros. Despite these contrasting starts, O'Neill expressed optimism about his team's potential.

"I think that just the whole history of it should have a galvanising effect for us," O'Neill stated. "Listen, we are under no illusions, we know it will be difficult. Benfica are a fine side. They will be disappointed not to be in the Champions League and will be among the favourites to win this competition."

O'Neill recalled watching the 1967 final as a teenager, describing the experience of gathering with other boarders to watch the match on a black-and-white television that initially malfunctioned before being revived by a priest. He lauded Celtic's performance in that game and expressed a desire to visit the Estadio Nacional, the venue for that historic final.

Despite the setback against Ferencvaros, O'Neill insists the European campaign is far from over. The team dropped into the Europa League after a dramatic collapse against LASK Linz in Champions League qualifiers. O'Neill's immediate ambition is to qualify for the knockout stages, a feat the team achieved last season.

Celtic will be without defender Cameron Carter-Vickers due to a hamstring strain. However, O'Neill hopes that forward Camilo Duran will be available for the match after the recent birth of his child. Duran, who has been a key player for Celtic this season with seven goals, is expected to join the squad.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo has spoken about his surprise at being dropped earlier in the season but is determined to retain his place as first-choice. Having regained the starting spot, the Finland international emphasized his commitment to performing well enough to prevent any further discussions about the goalkeeping position.