McGREGOR AIMS TO AVOID ‘NEARLY TEAM’ TAG

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CALLUM McGREGOR insists Celtic have no intention of stumbling at this stage of the Champions League qualifying campaign.

The captain is adamant they have no intention of being the “nearly team” as they prepared for their seventh outing in Europe’s elite competition when they take on Switzerland’s Young Boys at Parkhead tomorrow night.

McGregor and Co have reached this stage of the money-spinning tournament with nine points from two wins, three draws and one loss to achieve nine points to put them on the brink of a place in the last 24 and all but secure a place in the play-offs that lead to the knock-out stages.

A win under the lights of the east end of Glasgow in front of a sell-out 60,000 crowd will point the club in the direction of the latter rounds of the highest level since the 2012/13 season when they emerged from a group containing Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow.

Three points from the Swiss team who have lost all their qualifying outings could see Brendan Rodgers’ men into the play-offs with a game against Aston Villa in the Midlands a week tomorrow rendered redundant.

McGregor said: “It’s a brilliant incentive and the players know that. We want to take that responsibility and it’s down to us to put in a performance that merits that.

“It could be a big step for the club and everyone wants to be a part of it. We have done so well so far, but we don’t want to be a nearly team.

“We feel like we have a team here who should be getting success, so it’s now down to the players to prove that.”

Ignoring the poor record of the opposition, McGregor, speaking to the media, continued: “At this level, every team is a good team, even though they haven’t done so well.

“We have been on the receiving end of that where we have played well, but haven’t got the rewards to show for it.

“The points never really tell the full story. We know they are a good side with good physicality, good technically and have some good players in there, as well.”

The influential onfield leader added: “When you come to this level, you always expect them to have a period in the game when they will be on top. too, and it will be up to us to turn it back in our favour.

“But we also know we are also a good team and we have proved that in some of the games so far.

“We just have to bring it all together and, hopefully, we will have a good night.”

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