Nir Bitton has had to wait a long time to get his second chance.

Now it has presented itself, the Israeli international has no intentions of letting it slip through his fingers.

The injury to Charlie Mulgrew's knee has opened the door for a return to the Celtic first team - and Bitton has stepped right through.

So, while tomorrow's Europa League tie against Dinamo

Zagreb in Croatia may be viewed by some in the squad as simply a final group stage fixture for the 23-year-old, it represents more - much more.

It is a further opportunity to convince Ronny Deila he has listened when told what he had to do to become part of the manager's plans again.

With Scott Brown expected to sit this one out in case he collects a booking and with it a ban for the first leg of the last-32 tie in February, and Mulgrew laid up for a further three weeks while the inflammation in a knee is treated, Bitton looks like being the main man in the Hoops midfield in Zagreb.

He is relishing the prospect of adding to the six starts he has made in what has, so far for him, been a frustrating season.

Bitton would rather he was getting his chance because his form demands he cannot be left out - but he is not about to let this stop him making the most of it because, after 15 months at the club, and with the manager who signed him now gone, he feels under pressure to step up.

Bitton said: "Every game that I play, I just try to do the best for Celtic and then for my future. Every game the gaffer gives me the chance, I will try to show him that I'm good enough to be in the team.

"I wish Charlie all the best and hope he has a good recovery. Charlie is a very important player for Celtic."

The European stage is the ultimate test for any player to show what they can bring to the table, and Bitton

recognises the step up which it represents. His history in such games is not great.

Indeed, having made his debut for the club as a late substitute in last season's Champions League Match Day One defeat to AC Milan in the San Siro, he was sent off within minutes of making his home European debut from the bench against Ajax.

His next appearance on that stage ended with Barcelona defeating the Hoops 6-1 in the Nou Camp.

That was not the entrance the man from FC Ashdod

wanted to make. But, as befits his background, he has the strength of character to put that behind him, and is now looking only at building

a better future at the club.

Zagreb can be another step on that road, though Bitton insists he is not alone in viewing this as an important game. He said: "It's not just for me that it is important to show I can play at this level.

"For the club, every game in Europe is important, even when we have already qualified and don't have the chance to go for first place in the group.

"It is important for the fans, too. As a professional club and as professional players, everybody here wants to win every game.

"So, we will be going to

Zagreb looking for a victory."

While there is nothing like the million pounds which a win in the Champions League carries attached to this tie, there are very valuable co-efficient points.

Celtic have helped arrest the slide down the rankings of Scotland's representatives.

If they are to start climbing back up the table, progressing deeper into the Europa League and picking up the points that go with that would help them when they enter European competition - probably in the qualifiers for the Champions League - again next summer.

Bitton can also see the need to regain momentum lost in the last two Group D games, a draw in Romania against Astra Giurgiu and a home loss to Red Bull Salzburg.

This followed an opening half of the group which saw them kick off with a draw then home wins over Zagreb and Astra.

With one eye on the knock-out rounds - the draw for which will be made on Monday - Bitton does not want to sign off from Group D on a low note.

However, he knows Zagreb will be desperate to avoid finishing in bottom spot, and saw enough quality from them when they played at Parkhead to flag up that this will be a tough game for a below-strength Celtic side.

"In Europe, it is good teams you are up against," said Bitton.

"Every game, you must be at your best."

Celtic were not at that level last weekend towards the end of what should have been a comfortable victory at Motherwell.

Bitton, who will be charged with protecting the back four and keeper tomorrow, said: "If we leave a lot of spaces when playing in Europe, it will cost us in goals."

That is a truism which will carry even more resonance in the Last 32.

The Bhoys go into next week's draw as an unseeded side, and, as such, can face either a group winner or a team dropping down from the Champions League.

"I don't have a preference," he explained.

"We just have to concentrate on ourselves.

"If we play as a team, as the gaffer wants, we will be good."