Champions League winner issues Celtic with 'zero' warning as Euro record fails to match club’s size

Paul Lambert insists Celtic must grab the chance to improve their record in Europe as Brendan Rodgers looks to get off to a Champions League flyer against Slovan Bratislava at Parkhead on Wednesday.

The Hoops haven’t reached the knockout stage of UEFA’s premier competition for 12 years and it’s 20 years since they won a knockout round tie in any continental tournament when they beat the mighty Barcelona in the UEFA Cup over two legs. Lambert was part of Martin O’Neill’s side back then having helped Celtic go all the way to the final the previous season when they lost to Porto in Seville.

Celtic been drawn away against two of Lambert’s former clubs – Borussia Dortmund where he lifted club football’s ultimate prize and Aston Villa where he managed – in what has been viewed as a favourable section. The Slovaks are first up while Young Boys and RB Leipzig are due at Parkhead and a trip to Europa League holders Atalanta lie in wait in the revamped tournament.

And Lambert told PLZ Soccer: “When you’re a club the size of Celtic you can’t keep playing European competitions and ending up with one and zero points. That doesn’t add up, the club’s too big for that. It does great domestically but it needs to make a little dent in Europe and hopefully this new format does that because it gives clubs who are not in the elite bracket a crack at reaching the knockout round.

“You’ve got eight games, two more. Leipzig at home will be tough. Don’t underestimate them and Young Boys put out Galatasaray. There isn’t an easy game in Europe. Celtic will have to earn it. Going away to Dortmund and Villa will be tough. The home games you like to think they have a real good shout but they’ll have to earn it, it won’t be easy.”

Lambert is relishing