STUART ARMSTRONG has urged his Celtic team-mates to take a huge stride towards the Champions League by hitting Qarabag with the same relentless attitude that has made them top dogs in Scotland.

The Parkhead midfielder is eager to seize the advantage in tonight's first leg of the third qualifying round before next week's 3000-mile trip to Azerbaijan and insists Ronny Deila's side should not change the formula that delivered the Premiership and League Cup last season.

Despite seeing Charlie Mulgrew ruled out through injury, the ex-Dundee United man believes Celts are in good shape and insists the mix of power, pace and possession football within their team makes them a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

"I wouldn't say we have to change our style completely," he said. "Perhaps it is more of a challenge coming up against different styles of play, but we play the same way - we press and move the ball quickly and focus on the same things we do well.

"We keep the ball well, we counter quite quickly at speed and we can be quite clinical.

"We don't need to worry about the opposition too much. Obviously, we like to pinpoint a few things, but it's about how we play and approach the game.

"We must make sure that, when the chances come, we take them.

"It'll be important for us to get a good start and it will definitely give us an advantage going into the away leg.

"We've been building pre-season for these qualifiers to make sure we do well and have the best possible preparation for them. I think we are ready."

Deila has had his players watching individually-tailored footage of Qarabag in a bid to leave no stone unturned before tonight's big game.

"Different players are shown different clips from different areas," explained Armstrong. "It's all part of the preparation.

"They are a good team. We've seen footage of them and they move the ball well and like to dominate possession, so it will be a bit of a step up.

"We've watched different things and picked out different things we need to be aware of and what we need to do to prepare.

"Every stage of the qualifiers is a challenge and Stjarnan had their threats. Qarabag will have their threats too. It's a case of taking each game as it comes and preparing properly for them.

"If you want to get to the group stages you have to beat these challenging and tough teams. You've got to earn your place in the group, so this is a test."

Armstrong's longest trip on footballing duty came three years ago when Dundee United travelled to Moscow and suffered a 5-0 loss to local side Dynamo in the Europa League qualifiers.

He insists travelling time cannot be used as any kind of excuse.

"I went to Moscow not so long ago and it was a bit of a trek," he said. "It doesn't have too much of an effect. Physically, perhaps, slightly, but we're going out there in plenty of time and I'm sure we will adapt.

"We are not thinking of the travelling as an excuse."