Source: Team_Talk
Hinkel eyes Europa success
The competition replaces the UEFA Cup in which the Germany defender had a measure of success, being a non-playing member of the Sevilla squad which won the tournament when they beat Spanish rivals Espanyol on penalties at Hampden in 2007.
After being knocked out of the Champions League qualifier by Arsenal, the Parkhead club dropped in to the newly-formatted second European competition where they were drawn in Group C with Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Hamburg and Aston Villa's conquerors Rapid Vienna.
Tony Mowbray's men begin the campaign with a trip to Israel this week and Hinkel is confident that the Hoops are entering an arena where they are at least equals.
Speaking at Celtic's Lennoxtown training centre, Hinkel said: "There is no better team in the competition than Arsenal and playing them was the worst draw for us.
"I don't see a strong team like Arsenal in this competition.
"A lot of teams can win the Europa League and we can do it as well.
"The UEFA Cup - the competition before the Europa League - was different in recent years.
"In the Champions League it is only five or six teams that can win that and you know who they are before it starts.
"But the UEFA Cup was different. Last season it was Shakhtar, before that it was Zenit St Petersburg and Sevilla have also won the competition.
"There are very good teams in it but we can win against them.
"We didn't start in this competition so we have to take it game by game and small things decided games.
"When I won the UEFA Cup with Sevilla we played against Shakhtar Donetsk away and we were nearly out before our goalkeeper scored in the last minute and then we went on to win the competition."
Hinkel added: "It is a tough group. Rapid Vienna getting through surprised me because I watched their game against Aston Villa and of course I know about Hamburg.
"It's the first time I have played against an Israeli team and I have never been to Israel before but the manager will tell us more about them when we travel over.
"But Hamburg will be our main rivals, they are confident at the moment, and they have a good squad."
UEFA will use the tournament to experiment with one extra official behind each goal in a bid to assist the referee.
Hinkel does not believe the extra attention paid to defending in the box will curtail his game.
"We will see what happens," the former Stuttgart defender said.
"I won't be more careful. I try to stop strikers by fair means so it will be no different to me.
"I don't think players will change their style of football, they will play normally."
Uefa Europa League 2009/10 Win Outright: Celtic 40/1
