So it’s second leg time tomorrow night and for the first time in the post-Christmas knockout stages of a European tournament since the 1970’s we’re at home.
Last Thursday we gained a respectable draw in a game of two halves where we dominated the first and then were on the back foot defending in the second half.
Fraser Forster magnificently saved a penalty in that second half of course which means we aren’t chasing a deficit and indeed a 0-0 would do us tomorrow but as we’ve found out before holding out for that can be risky.
Back in 2014, Ronny Deila’s Celtic gained a hard-fought 1-1 draw away in Slovenia against Maribor before taking them back to Celtic Park in the second leg of the Champions League play-offs.
It was all set-up for us to progress but that night we didn’t know whether to stick or twist and eventually lost a late goal that we couldn’t bounce back from.
Copenhagen need to at the very least score tomorrow night even to take it to extra time but it’s just one goal so I doubt they’ll come out hard and fast with a cavalry charge chasing it.
With a big capacity crowd at Celtic Park tomorrow evening the fans will be looking for a swashbuckling performance and having seen us score an incredible 133 goals in all competitions already this season who could blame them.
Yes, we need patience but that’s usually at a premium under the lights in Europe and the reality is that this is very beatable opposition that we should expect to have too much for.
Having lost to second-bottom Esbjerg upon their return from the winter break the weekend before last Copenhagen dropped more points with a shocking 1-1 draw away at Silkeborg IF on Sunday with the shock coming from the fact that Silkeborg are marooned at the bottom of the Danish league with only 11 points and had lost six out of their previous seven league games.
Now sitting nine points behind league leaders FC Midtjylland both the domestic cup and Europe look like the Danish capital sides only shot at glory now.
There were injury doubts about their striker Dame N’Doye’s fitness but he looks certain to start tomorrow.
Similarly, Scott Brown looks likely to win his fitness race as does winger James Forrest both of whom sat out Sunday’s win over Kilmarnock though strong rumours suggest Tom Rogic will retain his place in the team with Brown possibly only making the bench.
That’s a big call but the big question will be though if Neil Lennon dares to stick to the 3-5-2 formation which has been so ever-present in domestic duty since our return from the break.
It would be risky but it appears to suit the personnel with the likes of Greg Taylor and Leigh Griffiths in particular benefiting.
Both were absent for the away game last week through injury but returned at the weekend and Celtic certainly seem more dynamic with this formation.
But European football is, of course, a different kettle of fish and I’d be pretty shocked if we didn’t go with just one up front who will, of course, be Edouard.
The fact is we should be patient in possession and at some point, the visitors are going to have to go for it which would be the perfect opportunity to hit them on the break on the wide expanses of Celtic Park.
Whether it plays out that way is another thing as wild and sometimes crazy things happen at Paradise on a big European night.
Ultimately let’s just get it done and progress to the last 16 which would be our longest European run since we reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals back in 2004.
I have a feeling that come 7pm tonight we’ll be Scotland’s only representative left in continental competition as I really give Rangers no chance in their away trip to Braga.
Despite holding a slender lead from the first leg where they turned out around spectacularly the reality is that they were under the cosh for most of the game against an impressive and slick side who have been a revelation in recent months after a poor start to the season.
If the title race was still close I might even be rooting for them so that they never had any advantage over us in terms of getting Thursday nights off whilst we are still slogging it out in Europe.
But it isn’t.
So I won’t be.
....Always A Tim! 