Progress to the League Cup final was celebrated, enjoyed, reviewed and now classified just two days after the victory, as the Celts barely had time to reflect on their crushing 6-0 victory over Aberdeen that ‘an entirely different test is coming tomorrow evening. (Tuesday) against RB Leipzig.

The aura of a UEFA Champions League night under the lights at Paradise returns with a match against the Bundesliga side, and a Celt who faced them last season spoke to the media before the match.

Arne Engels, of course, plied his trade in Germany’s top flight before joining the Hoops at the start of the season, so he knows what to expect from the opposition.

He said: “We are expecting a very good team. We’re really prepared for it, we did some tactical things this morning and everyone is really excited for the game, and everyone is really ready.

He is also ready for the atmosphere of these nights after experiencing it in Celtic’s opening match of the tournament when Slovan Bratislava were beaten 5-1.

Engels said: “It will be amazing, I’m really looking forward to seeing the fans again, seeing the stadium and the crowd.

“It will help us a lot and, as I have said in previous interviews, it is an incredible atmosphere that pushes us to our limits, and I think we will get there.

“Everyone will be at full energy and the stadium will also give us more energy.”

After that opener there was the defeat to Borussia Dortmund before the Celts earned a well-deserved 0-0 draw in Italy against Atalanta – a result which leaves the team in top form for the match in this week.

The Belgian midfielder said: “I think we are quite confident. We showed that we can really defend and that we can play against really good teams.

“You see Atalanta playing in their own Serie A and playing some really incredible football, and beating Napoli this weekend, so it shows us the confidence that we can do that against really good teams and we can’t wait to start the match tomorrow.

“Every time we play in the Champions League there is the objective of going to the round of 16 or going further in the tournament, and we showed against Atalanta that we can defend, and that is not the case. Maybe that’s not always how we do it, because we like to attack and play full of energy.

“It shows the other side of us, and it also shows our team’s confidence in our ability to achieve this.”

“It’s also a step in our game that we are improving and doing very well.”

He added: “It’s a higher level of course, it’s the biggest stage you can play on, so everyone is prepared and everyone knows they have to be at the top of their game tomorrow .

“Celtic have played in the Champions League several times, so everyone knows what to expect and what to do tomorrow.”

Watch the full interview to hear Arne Engels on:

• His own season so far

• Play another Bundesliga team

• The fight for places in midfield

• The dangers of RB Leipzig

Calendar

Celtic Vs. RB Leipzig – Tue, November 5, 2024, 8:00 p.m.