Despite the pressures and expectations levied at Ange Postecoglou and his players in domestic football terms, the Celtic manager remains clear that progression in Europe is a priority at the club.

Speaking in Denmark ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League second qualifying round second leg against FC Midtjylland, Ange Postecoglou said he’s keen to build on the positives from last week’s 1-1 draw at Paradise and to seize the opportunity before them.

“We had another week of training and the friendly game on Saturday, which had its good and disappointing bits,” said the manager. “It’s all about learning and developing and we’ve had another week of helping the players understand how I want them to play. From that perspective we’re a lot further along in terms of our preparation."

While pleased with the number of chances the Hoops created in front of goal last week, Ange Postecoglou said he’d like more of a competitive edge from his players – stressing the importance of the team’s collectively responsibilities in defence and attack.

He added: “The path that we’re on, we’re keen to continue on that. Winning tomorrow makes a significant difference in terms of the next few weeks and the games we’ll have before us.

'We totally understand the significance of the game, we’re prepared for it and hopefully we can get a good performance and result.'

“European football is important, it’s one of the main priorities for the club and this year is no different. We are in transition but you just don’t discount things because of your current circumstances.

“The reality is there’s an opportunity here to progress to the next round. We performed well in the first game and we’ve given ourselves the chance to progress, and that’s absolutely a priority – and should always be a priority.”

Manager: European football is always a priority at Celtic