WHEN Celtic drew Lazio, Rennes and CFR Cluj in the group stages of this year’s UEFA Europa League, some mainstream commentators wrote off progression to the competition’s knockout round of 32.

Despite the Scottish champions’ Treble Treble success last campaign, not to mention the fact the Hoops had secured European football after Christmas for two years running, getting out of Group E, for some, seemed unlikely.

After all, it boasted the Coppa Italia holders, the French Cup winners – who beat Paris Saint-Germain in the final, no less – and Dan Petrescu’s CFR Cluj, who had already eliminated Celtic from the UEFA Champions League qualifiers earlier that month.

Fast forward three months and Celtic had not only qualified, they also secured first place with a game to spare. They defeated Lazio 2-1 at home and away to record the club’s first ever competitive win on Italian soil, took three off Rennes at Celtic Park, the French side scoring a late consolation goal in the dying minutes, and made amends for their prior Cluj defeat with a comprehensive 2-0 win over the Romanian outfit at Paradise.

Now off the back of nine domestic wins in a row 2020, Neil Lennon’s men travel to Denmark on Thursday for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last 32 clash with FC Copenhagen with a spring in their step.

The Irishman said he feels the highs and lows of victory and defeat more distinctly as Celtic manager than he did as a player, but explained that he still gets as excited by the prospect of high-profile European ties.

“It’s great to have European football after Christmas, and it’s a tough draw,” said the manager in an exclusive interview with this week’s Celtic View. “It could have been tougher, but it could have been easier. We’ve watched Copenhagen a few times. They haven’t played many competitive games of late, but we’ve addressed the preparation as we always do.

“You feel the highs and the lows more as manager than you ever did as a player, but you also look forward to these big games, and I was so proud of the group campaign. That’s done now, though, and we’ll see where we can go in this tournament. It’s exciting.”

In Neil Lennon’s time as a player, the Hoops humbled a host of Europe’s biggest and brightest teams. As manager, he’s likewise been at the helm of some huge victories – including that historic away win over Simone Inzaghi’s Serie A side earlier this campaign.

Belief is something the Irishman attributes to Celtic’s European success since lifting the Big Cup in 1967, and while reluctant to look further than this Thursday’s game against FC Copenhagen, he admitted he’d love to see the Treble Treble winners reach their fourth European final at some point in his lifetime.

“I think it’s feasible that Celtic could make a European final again, but who knows,” he said. “It’s been done before. We’ve done it three times. We can keep wishing for the fourth, and maybe we’ll get that sooner, rather than later, hopefully.

“What I will say is, I wouldn’t write us off against any opposition, especially when we’re really on it. Hopefully that’ll be the case on Thursday night. Copenhagen are of excellent European pedigree and experience. We’ve maybe got a slight advantage with the match rhythm, but there are no easy games away from home in Europe.”

For the full interview with Neil Lennon, see this week’s Celtic View, out Wednesday, February 19.

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Neil Lennon is set for Denmark in this week’s Celtic View