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Neil Lennon: 'Clash with Reykjavik will benefit us in long run'

Neil Lennon: 'Clash with Reykjavik will benefit us in long run'
© Reuters
The Scottish champions play the winner of the tie between Ferencvaros and Djurgardens in the second qualifier next week.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon was glad to see fitness levels improving while his side thrashed KR Reykjavik 6-0 in their Champions League qualifier at Parkhead.

Mohamed Elyounoussi netted twice, with Christopher Jullien, Greg Taylor and Odsonne Edouard also on target on Tuesday night, while the Icelandic side scored an own goal through defender Arnor Adalsteinsson.

The Scottish champions play the winner of the tie between Ferencvaros and Djurgardens in the second qualifier next week, while next in the Scottish Premiership is a trip to Tannadice on Saturday to play newly-promoted Dundee United.

The Hoops manager said: "It was important to try and increase the intensity and get the games into their legs, so they should get a benefit from that.

"We've got a big couple of weeks coming up now, so it's important that we keep our focus now.

"The 10 days off didn't help and we only had two competitive games before this game, whereas a lot of other teams have had four or five, so we've got a little bit of catch-up.

"The likes of (Olivier) Ntcham has only played 20 minutes here, 20 minutes there, so I want to give him more game time as we go along.

"Tom Rogic has only had about 15 minutes in the past three or four weeks.

"For the likes of (Hatem Abd) Elhamed and (Nir) Bitton, it's been very good for them, and they came through it OK, and for the rest of them, to get through another 90 minutes is important, so hopefully we're over that hump now and we go on now."

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Celtic's Greg Taylor pictured against Hamilton in August 2020
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic110082275581
2RangersRangers110074245078
3Hearts101046341263
4Kilmarnock10104334952
5St Mirren10013945-643
6Dundee10014556-1141
Relegation Group
1Hibernian11004752-542
2Aberdeen11003649-1338
3Motherwell10014652-637
4St Johnstone10012549-2431
5Ross County10013258-2630
6Livingston11002459-3521
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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