Little wonder that Leigh Griffiths jokes sardonically about a keen sense of deja-vu.

“Aye, it feels like Ronny Deila is back, that first season,” chuckled the affable striker as he reflected on his vantage point from the bench for both club and country these past few weeks.

On the back of a 40-goal season, a campaign that ended with him named as the Ladbrokes Premiership Player of the Year in Scotland and lauded by his fellow professionals, Griffiths nevertheless finds himself back in the familiar position of having to prove himself all over again.

Moussa Dembele has usurped the striker from the Hoops starting line-up but the 25-year-old is reluctant to settle for life on the outside looking in.

Celtic need to dust themselves down following Wednesday night’s chastening experience against Borussia Monchengladbach in which the Hoops were outplayed but Griffiths' own remit lies in forcing his way back into the team.

“I need to keep pulling strings in training, putting the ball in the back of the net, working hard, closing defenders down and the only person who can get me in the team is the manager,” he said.

“I am disappointed. Every player who finds themselves on the bench is disappointed. I just have to keep working hard and knowing that when my chance comes then I have to take it. Ask any player here is they are satisfied sitting on the bench and I guarantee they will all say no. Everyone wants to play I am no different.

“The fans are brilliant. They see what I give every week whether I start or come off the bench I give 110%. I love playing for this club. The fans have been brilliant with me, well 95% of them have been, and I still try to keep proving people wrong by giving my all.”

Griffiths was given a warm welcome when he was introduced to the fray during Wednesday night’s encounter, but by the time he arrived Celtic’s chances in the game were long gone.

The half-way point of this European campaign makes for difficult viewing from the Parkhead side’s perspective after they have taken just one point from their opening three games.

Few would have expected Celtic to progress when the draw was originally made but the energy and exuberance that was there in the aftermath of what was a pulsating draw against Manchester City was expunged with what was a sobering experience against the Bundesliga side.

Griffiths, though, has insisted that it is too early to write Celtic off entirely, although he has acknowledged that the road ahead looks dauntingly prohibitive.

“There are still three games to go,” he said. “It has put us in a difficult position, we would accept that. But it means that we have to lift ourselves and go away from home and play. You have to give credit to Borussia too – they came here, they played really well and their movement at times was second to none.

“We wanted to take something but we knew this was going to be a tough game from the minute the draw was made. But we also have to look for the positives too – I don’t think we played particularly badly.”

This time last season Celtic were toiling to keep pace in the Europa League so there was always the feeling that this term’s success would simply be in making it into the group stages of the Champions League.

Still, the fun falls a little flat when results are tough to take, as it was on that opening night in the Nou Camp and then again on Wednesday night.

Griffiths, though, expects a thorough analysis now from Brendan Rodgers as Celtic seek to absorb some of the lessons that were on view against Borussia Monchengladbach.

The return leg in Germany is less than a fortnight away and with the Bundesliga side in the position to further strengthen by bringing by four of their first choice players, it seems like a daunting ask of Celtic.

“We are under no illusions about difficult a task it will be,” said the striker.

“The gaffer will have another look at tonight’s game and think about how we go forward and rectify some of the mistakes.

“The manager said we played well but it is a steep learning curve for us just now. It is the place we want to be but it is going to take time. The manager said we gave everything but it was a really difficult night for us. You are only going to get one or two chances at this level to score goals and if you don’t take them then you can’t give away the easy chances that we did tonight.”

Right now, Griffiths’ ambitions lie no further than earning the right to have say in those games.