Ronny Deila set to put past disappointments behind him - by steering Celtic to Champions League group stage

His side was thrashed by Legia Warsaw both home and away in the third qualifying round before being handed an unexpected reprieve by Uefa.

But after the Scottish champions had progressed to the play-off at the expense of their Polish rivals – who had inadvertently fielded an ineligible player – they suffered more crushing disappointment.

After an encouraging 1-1 draw with NK Maribor away in Slovenia, they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to crash out.

But that was then and this is now. This is a different Ronny Deila from 12 months ago and a different Celtic side as well.

The disorganised displays against Warsaw and the failure against Maribor are distant memories for the Glasgow giants.

Winning the Premiership and League Cup double and progressing to the knockout stages of the Europa League have been hugely beneficial to both the manager and his charges.

The Norwegian, who looked hopelessly out of his depth after arriving in Scotland, is convinced both he and his club will not suffer a hat-trick of setbacks.

Yes, the play-off against a Malmo side managed by his countryman Age Hareide is delicately balanced after Jo Inge Berget scored an injury-time goal six days ago.

Deila, though, is adamant Celtic, leading 3-2 entering the second leg in the Swedbank Stadion here this evening, can close out the tie.

“We are going to win this game,” he said“That’s the only thing I’m thinking of. We can talk about the positive things. We have a very, very good chance. We are good enough to do it. It’s just about going out there and doing it.

“I am very, very positive. We haven’t lost away from home for six months. We are coming here with a lead and we showed at Celtic Park we can cause Malmo problems. It is the biggest game for me - and then the next one in Europe will be even bigger.”

He added: “Yes, I feel pressure all the time. When you have big goals the pressure is unbelievably strong. But that’s what you have to cope with when you are a player and a manager. You have to use your energy to get the best performance possible.

“Why should I be negative? I know the situation very clearly – we are 3-2 up! We showed in the first game we know how to cope with Malmo. If we get the best performance we have a good chance to win. That’s what I see and that’s what I go for. We are going to play a team that we’ll have chances to beat. We have a very, very good chance.”

The game plan Deila intends to adopt suggests he is more than comfortable with the situation he finds himself in - he has no intention of abandoning his positive approach and playing defensively in order to protect the narrow 3-2 lead.

Whether his admirable attitude to this encounter is naive or inspired will be clear tonight at the end of what promises to be a compelling 90 minutes of football.

He added: “This is a big game for the club and everyone, of course it is. We want to get to the Champions League group stage. If we win, we have succeeded in one of our first goals. So it is one of the biggest games of our season. It is very, very important.

“It’s like a final. But for me it is about getting better and better. If we get through, we can then show we have taken another step as a team. We are well prepared and looking forward to the game. The goal is to win, of course.

“I’ve been very clear with my goals since the first day I came in here. We have done a very good job so far. If we can win, we are in a very good situation.

“It’s a big game for Scottish football because of the money. Getting to the Champions League is even more important for small countries. But for us it is about getting to the highest level of football and testing yourself against the best teams in the world. It’s about getting the best teams in the world to Celtic Park. That’s what we want.

“We showed at Celtic we can cope with the team and we have skills in our team to win this game. That’s what we have to focus on. I think we’re a better team than Malmo. If I didn’t think like this we wouldn’t have a chance of making the Champions League.

“We will go to win the game, of course. But it depends also on the picture of the game and how the match plan is going. We have to defend well but also cause them problems.”

The fallout to the first game between Celtic and Malmo has been great; Hareide criticised the fitness levels of his side’s opponents after they conceded a goal in injury-time and his players have branded them “brats”, “childish” and even “pigs”.

Deila knows his colourful compatriot – who castigated the Scottish media for failing to translate the comments made by his charges accurately at his pre-match press conference yesterday - well and has not been irked by any of the derogatory remarks.

“I have no problem with him,” he said. “Maybe he was a little bit angry because things he didn’t mean to say have come back to him. He’s a charismatic coach and he says things. That’s his way of dealing with the media and he has to answer for it.

“I don’t think it’s negative for us, that’s for sure. We didn’t do anything wrong in the last game and the players are very motivated for the game.”

Malmo, who will have Markus Rosenberg, their captain and striker available again after a suspension, have struggled domestically this season and lost 1-0 to minnows BK Hacken at the weekend. But Deila feels that result could make Celtic’s task more demanding.

“I have watched the game and they have put themselves in a difficult position in the league, said Deila. “But that makes this game even more important for them. They will also be a better team with Rosenburg back. He has a lot of experience of these games.”

So, too, does Ronny Deila and many of his Celtic players. They should be able to score against Malmo this evening and progress to the Champions League group stages after a two year absence.

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here