Source: FOOTYMAD
Ki confident
The players are in bullish mood before the second leg of the Champions League game against Braga The players feel that tonight will see a different performance that that shown in Portugal as they get a second chance to secure their place in the play-off round of the Champions League. Midfielder Ki Sung-yueng is the latest to come out with his views on the outcome of the tie. Ki in sure that Sporting Braga will be smashed at Parkhead tonight as Celtic. Team-mate Gary Hooper has predicted a 4-0 win if they can get an early goal. Ki said: "What we did in Portugal wasn't good enough and I gave away a silly penalty kick. But this (game) will be different because we'll have 60,000 people in front of us. If we play the way we just did in training, I think we can smash them." Ki's confidence appears based on how the team performed in the Emirates Cup at the weekend, where they fought back in both games; a 2-2 draw against Lyon on Saturday and a less successful comeback in a 3-2 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday. The 21-year-old said: "The cup gave all the players a lot of confidence. We played one of the best teams in the world and we played a great game. It showed to everyone that we are good enough to beat Braga. It will be totally different to Portugal because they have never experienced the kind of fans at Celtic. The fans are really amazing. Every time we tackle, we will get the ball and attack in front of a lot of people. So I think they will be surprised and afraid. They are quite skilful and the organisation of the team was good. But I don't think they are very powerful or fast." The defensive fragility was again displayed in London but Ki believes the players will soon learn from the mistakes made in Portugal. He said: "It was the first game of the season. So we don't care about this, we will be much better than this throughout the season. We know we made mistakes but the game has gone. We can score a lot of goals. What we did against Lyon and Arsenal was really fantastic especially at the end of the game. It needs a lot of quality to score goals against the best defenders in the world. So I think the strikers will score a lot of goals tomorrow." Understandably, the older head of the manager was more diplomatic over his choice of words but he still believes his team are capable of a comeback to prevent them dropping into the Europa League qualifiers. Lennon said: "We need to get a head of steam up and a groundswell of pressure, and the supporters will play their part as well. I'm sure they can lift the team to a good performance. The atmosphere should be something that Braga have maybe never experienced before. Celtic Park, under the floodlights on a European night, will give the players a real taste of why they're here and what they can expect. I just want them to feed off the energy and thrive on it, and bring the house down. The fans are huge on these Champions League nights, they are one of the main reasons why our form has been so good over the years at home. They bring an energy that gives you a lift as soon as you walk out on the pitch. That backing just elevates your performance."
