CELTIC midfielder Kris Commons has called tomorrow night's Champions League last-16 tie against Juventus the "biggest game of his career" – and one he welcomed with something of mischievous grin.
The Italian side have been offered the use of Rangers' Murray Park training ground today – "if they want to train at a Division Three training ground let them get on with it. They can train in my back garden, it would make no difference," Commons said, ahead of his own team fine tuning their preparations.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon took a training session at Lennoxtown yesterday and will have his players fully briefed after another session this morning which included watching video analysis of the team from Turin.
"We don't want to overdo it but will work on a few things like shape and set pieces, and get a little bit of training into them and working with the ball," said Lennon. "The guys who played in Inverness will just have a recovery session."
Lennon fielded what amounted to a reserve side in Saturday's 3-1 win at Inverness Caledonian Thistle to minimise the risk of his senior players being injured for the first leg against Juventus.
Celtic will learn today whether Georgios Samaras should be okay to start tomorrow night and Lennon also hopes Efetobore Ambrose will board a morning flight from Johannesburg to the UK after playing for Nigeria last night.Ambrose will not start against Juventus but Lennon would like him to be available as a substitute.
Commons doubtless articulated the feelings of many of the Celtic players when describing the first-leg game at Parkhead.
"This is the biggest game of my career, he said. "I don't think many guys in our dressing room could say they've had a chance to qualify for the last eight of the Champions League. So it's the biggest game I've had a chance to be part of. It feels like it's been a long time coming, probably about two and a half months since the draw, so I just hope it doesn't pass us by.
"We have take the opportunity by putting in the kind of performance that we know we are capable of at Celtic Park. Once that music starts and the crowd get behind us, it's moments like that when you are blessed as a footballer."
Juventus had been reluctant to confirm whether they would train at Murray Park this morning and again tomorrow morning, but the facilities were offered to them by Rangers.
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