Thursday 24 August 2017 07:34, UK
On Tuesday evening, Celtic will run out under the roof of the Astana Arena in European football’s most far-flung outpost.
Assuming they can defend a five-goal lead, they will once again complete the journey returning the club to the centre-stage of the Champions League group stages.
Barring a collapse of epic proportions, Celtic fans can look forward to an exciting autumn at the elite level for a second successive season. They're not there yet, and they're reluctant to look too far ahead, but many of the players feel that with a kind draw, progression to the last-16 is a realistic target.
"Not Barcelona again!" says midfielder Nir Bitton, when asked who he'd like in the draw - if his team are in it. "When you play Champions League you don't really care. As long as you are in it, you play the best teams, the best players in the world, and you just want to be part of it.
"Not Barcelona again!" says midfielder Nir Bitton, when asked who he'd like in the draw - if his team are in it. "When you play Champions League you don't really care. As long as you are in it, you play the best teams, the best players in the world, and you just want to be part of it.
"Last year we were, but this year if we get there we want to go one step forward. We want to fight for second place, we want to fight for third place to go to the Europa League, and hopefully we will do it."
In Brendan Rodgers' debut season, his team went undefeated domestically, but in Europe they finished bottom of a grueling section that was topped by the Catalan side, and also featured Manchester City and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Despite some promising performances, a 7-0 hammering in the Nou Camp on match-day one was a humbling experience that left Celtic playing catch-up. This time round, they're better equipped, with last week's sensational 5-0 first leg triumph proof of that.
"When the gaffer signed, it took time to understand his philosophy and how he wanted everyone to play, but I think twelve to thirteen months on, we are much better as a team because we understand what he wants from us and the way he wants to play. This is the biggest thing that's changed from last season.
"We knew before the [Astana] game it was going to be massive for the club. We knew that we wanted to take a good result away from home, because it's not easy to play in Astana, and we had an amazing game collectively and an amazing result.
"But the pressure is always there. We all watched the game Barcelona against PSG last season!
"I wouldn't call it a warning but it just shows you that everything can happen in football. You need to make sure that you are concentrating 100 per cent, you don't take your foot off the gas and you just keep going forward, and that's where we want to go. It's never finished and it's only half-time now."
With Erik Sviatchenko and Dedryck Boyata injured, Bitton produced a composed performance at centre-half against Astana, after being publicly and privately backed by his manager. It laid to rest many fears shown by some supporters prior to the tie about his inexperience in the position - which Bitton was well aware of.
"I am the solution now, and I am trying to do my best. You know, I have full confidence in myself. I know my abilities and I know who I am.
"I get a lot of confidence from the gaffer as well, because I heard a lot of people talking before the game, saying 'he's not the answer, he's not a centre-back, I wouldn't risk £30m on him' - well, no-one risked £30m on me, it's about Celtic.
"We have social media, we read the papers and what the guys in the media write and obviously you try to put it away from you, but sometimes, if it's too much, then you think 'what's going to happen?' But as I said, I have full confidence in myself.
"The gaffer spoke with me before the game and gave me the confidence, I had the full confidence in myself before, and I just showed it."
Bitton's evolution into a defensive option comes not long after it looked like the Israeli might be leaving Celtic. With over 100 appearances, the 25-year old has been a consistent, if perhaps undervalued member of the squad since his arrival four years ago. Injury and competition in central midfield meant he made just six appearances in the final three months of last season. With the arrivals of Olivier Ntcham and Kundai Benyu, the fight for a start has only intensified - whilst there are suddenly vacancies in central defence.
"I'm not a guy that gives up. I'm not a guy that thinks if I'm not playing, the first thing to do is pack my things and go. That's not me, I've always fought for my place, and I always will.
"Obviously when you don't play, it's not ideal or the best and you're not happy, but you know you need to accept competition, you have to respect other players, you have to support them and you need to fight for your place, and they accept it as well.
"I'm playing centre-back now, I enjoy it and I hope to continue like that. I had a few appearances as a centre-back before, but nothing serious. Erik got injured, and the gaffer gave me the chance.
"It doesn't matter where I play. As long as I'm playing, if I play right-back, goalkeeper, centre-back, midfielder, I will try to do my best. It's the gaffer's choice to give me the chance to play or not.
"When you play for such a big club as Celtic, you always have competition; it doesn't matter where you play. We have a lot of central midfielders now, but there are different players in the group, and if the gaffer chooses to play a different formation then he has the right players.
"You need to accept you have the competition in a club like Celtic, you need to fight for your place, and when you get the chance you need to do your best."
