JAMES FORREST revealed Celtic will change their approach for tonight’s first Champions League qualifier against Alashkert in Armenia.
The Hoops will be forced to abandon their usual high-pressing game in the ferocious heat to adapt to a slower tempo of play.
International winger Forrest said: “I don’t think it is possible for us to play our way for 90 minutes over here.
“The manager has said for us to be smart and to pick our times when to go 100 per cent and when there are other times when we need to be compact as a team.
“It was hot in Austria on our pre-season trip, but this is even hotter and so we will have to manage the game properly.
“I think the match in Azerbaijan when we played against Qarabag was as hot as this, even at night when it was really humid.
“It is hard to adapt to it, but, come the game, the adrenalin will get us through.
“The way the boss wants to play, he wants everyone to be at it. For every position, not just mine, it’s going to be a test because of the intensity we like to play at.
“But I think there will be times when it will be slower than we are used to, even though we have to keep our intensity up.
“It is key is to keep our concentration for 90 minutes and get a good result to take back to Glasgow.”
Forrest, who has just turned 27 and is now a veteran European campaigner at the club, added: “It’s good to play in different environments and, hopefully, we’ll get through.
“If we get a qualifier down the line somewhere similar to this, then we will have this experience to call on.
“We’re well looked after. We came here two days ago to try to adjust to the heat and everything else.
“Our staff behind the scenes are brilliant. This might be a different type of game to what we are used to, but that is part of learning about European football.”
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