MARTIN O’NEILL believes Celtic are equipped as well as they possibly can be for the 5.30pm start against Sporting Club of Lisbon at the Estadio Algarve this evening.
The champions are due to fly home tomorrow from Portugal after their preparation work for the season ahead at their summer training HQ.
And O’Neill has declared himself satisfied as his squad get ready for the rigours at home and abroad with the competitive action due to start on Monday August 3 when Dundee visit Parkhead for the Premiership kick-off.
CALM BEFORE THE STORM…a relaxed Martin O’Neill at the champions’ training HQ in Portugal. Image courtesy Celtic Player.
The Hoops boss has two more friendlies – against Middlesbrough on Saturday and AC Milan the following weekend, both in the east end of Glasgow – before the quest for a sixth successive title begins.
Reflecting on a job well done so far, O’Neill said: “The players have worked hard, the weather has been fantastic and it really, genuinely couldn’t have been better.
“The players have done really well. We’re down to one session now, but the double sessions have been great and, hopefully, it’ll stand them in good stead for the season.
“There are things that we can definitely improve on and there are things that we also did reasonably well last season. So, it’s a matter of combining both as much as anything else.”
Celtic, of course, will be without Kieron Tierney, Anthony Ralston, Alistair Johnston, Daizen Maeda, Benjamin Nygren, Yang Hyun-jun, Auston Trusty and Sebastian Tounekti after their international exertions in USA, Canada and Mexico.
Looking ahead to the game against Sporting, who finished runners-up to Porto in the Premera Ligue and will play in the Champions League next season, O’Neill, speaking Celtic Player, continued: “They’re a bit like us in that they’re also going to be missing quite a number of World Cup players.
FALSE START…new Bhoy Camilo Duran may miss tonight’s game against Sporting Club of Lisbon. Image courtesy Celtic Player.
“But they’re a very fine side and if this game was a European fixture maybe in a couple of months’ time, it would be amazing.
“They’ve got some players who they want to bring into the squad, a wee bit like ourselves, so from that viewpoint, it might be interesting.
“But we’ll go with a pretty strong side to begin with.”
Another player missing this evening could be £5.5million new Bhoy Camilo Duran who was unable to take part in the training session yesterday.
The Colombian striker, who sealed his move from Qarabag last week, felt ill before the session and was not involved, casting doubt over his availability for the final work-out against Sporting.
O’Neill added: “As we’re getting closer to the season, hopefully adding a few extra players to the squad, the intensity just seems to get stronger, which is the way it should be.”
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