Neil Lennon focuses on Atletico Madrid match after win
Last updated on .From the section Football
Manager Neil Lennon hopes Celtic's 4-0 defeat of Motherwell can boost his players in their Europa League match against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
"When you see the team perform like that, the supporters can only enthuse about it, but we're not getting carried away," Lennon told BBC Scotland.
"We'll give the boys a couple of days' rest and prepare as best we can.
"Away from home our record is not great but the players have a second chance and they want to make the most of it."
Uefa reinstated Celtic to the Europa League when it upheld the club's complaint that Sion had fielded ineligible players in the Swiss team's 3-1 aggregate win over the Scots.
Though Sion have appealed that decision, Celtic are preparing to face the Madrid outfit in midweek followed by matches against Rennes and Udinese.
Lennon said after the defeat of the Steelmen: "I am absolutely thrilled with the performance.
"On the back of the St Johnstone game we needed a really strong home performace today and I am delighted we got that.
"The atmosphere was a lot more like it today."
And looking ahead to the contest against Atletico Madrid, Lennon said he hoped his players did not get caught cold and that they would be focused on the challenge.
"It's a totally different game and a totally different scenario," he added.
"We know we won't have anywhere near the possession or the chances that we created [against Motherwell].
"Hopefully we have come through injury-free and we can go with the strongest squad possible and the players can express themselves as they did today.
"It's a tough group and it's a huge step up in quality. But, at home in particular, in the European games we should be able to give teams a real game.
"I need my stronger players on the field. When you have the likes of [Beram] Kayal, [Gary] Hooper, [Emilio]Izaguirre, [Kelvin] Wilson out, it's difficult for us to compete at that level."
