Former Celt Mark Wilson believes that Celtic have the necessary belief to go and make an impact in the Champions League this season.

The Parkhead side face a play-off round in order to progress to the group stages of the tournament, but Wilson’s own perspective is that the belief endemic within the squad will carry them through.

Celtic have come through early ties against Linfield and Rosenborg but have one more hurdle still to come.

“What struck me most was the assurance and maturity that they played with,” said Wilson. “I think there was just a confidence within the squad that they were going to do it.

Read more: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers sticks with Nir Bitton and rules out panic buy for centre-half

“That is what you need. If you have that faith in your team-mates and in the manager then it unites you. It gives you the belief to go and get the job done. That is what struck me most about the game against Rosenborg in Trondheim – you just sensed that Celtic knew they would do it.

“Any game at this stage of the season is going to come with nerves given what is at stake and there was a wee spell when the second-half kicked off when Rosenborg came looking for a goal, but I just thought that Celtic were pretty comfortable throughout.”

Wilson was part of the first Celtic side who progressed out of the group stages and into the last 16 of the Champions League under Gordon Strachan in 2007.

AC Milan put paid to further involvement then with an extra-time winner in the San Siro, but Wilson recognises the same determination in the current Celtic side.

“The first game I played for Celtic in the Champions League was at Old Trafford in the Champions League,” recalled Wilson. “And what I remember most is how relaxed everyone was in the dressing room beforehand. We weren’t in awe of where we were or who we were playing against.

Read more: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers sticks with Nir Bitton and rules out panic buy for centre-half

“We actually lost that game 3-2 but I think we came out of it knowing that we had let United know they’d been in a game. We then beat them at Celtic Park when Shunsuke Nakamura scored a cracking free-kick and Artur Boruc saved a penalty.

“Those are fabulous memories for me but it is also reminds you that if you show teams too much respect in the Champions league, they’ll walk all over you.

“You need to believe that you belong on the same pitch as them and that you have as much about you as a team as they do and I think that is where Celtic are again now. You can see the way they are wanting to press teams, wanting to take the game to them and I think that even when the nerves will be jangling a wee bit in this play-off, that they will play with the same confidence.

“They look like a team who should be in the Champions League. Of course, it is easy to say that but the next step is to go and do it and I think they are more than capable of that.”

Read more: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers sticks with Nir Bitton and rules out panic buy for centre-half

Wilson played alongside James Forrest and he was delighted to see his former team-mate steal the headlines this week. “He takes a lot of stick at times,” he said. “So often it is the players who are capable of that wee bit of quality who get it in the neck and James has had his fair share of it. I played with him at under-20 level at Celtic and also in senior side and he is an excellent player. I was so pleased for him when i saw the ball hit the back of the net.”

The last fortnight has underlined just how light Celtic are up front, but Wilson can appreciate just why Rodgers is reluctant to bring in a third striker.. “When there is only one jersey up front, it is a tough one to keep everyone happy.”

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