Celtic manager Neil Lennon has slammed the hysteria around his side’s defeat in the Champions League qualifiers and insisted that his players should look forward to prospering in the Europa League.

The Scottish champions suffered a 4-3 home defeat to Romanian side CFR Cluj last week, which ended their hopes of being in the group stage of the Champions League this season.  

 



Celtic’s failure to qualify for the group stage of Europe’s elite competition for the second season running has attracted scathing criticism from all quarters.

However, Lennon feels the talk around Celtic’s Champions League failure has created a sense of hysteria and stressed that they have only lost one game, albeit a crucial one which lost them a European tie.
 


The Celtic manager said in a press conference: “It's not me that is creating the headlines or shouting out the criticism.



“We've lost one game – I didn't believe we deserved to and that's the harsh realities of the game.

“We're fine. We're absolutely fine. It's like everyone out there is head down. We're not. We're bullish and looking forward to the games.
 

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“There has to be a sense of perspective. There has been a little bit of hysteria at times. That is the environment you're in [in] Glasgow.

“We've lost one game, so it's not all doom and gloom. We have to be bullish about things and look forward.”

He believes Celtic must forget their Champions League disappointment and look to reach the Europa League group stage, a competition he feels the club can prosper in this season.

Lennon also rubbished suggestions that his players are out of touch this season.

“It's a big disappointment to be out of the Champions League but the Europa League is a very good competition that hopefully, we can prosper in.

“There's a narrative going around that we might be a little bit off colour. We're absolutely not and hopefully, the players can go out and show that tomorrow.

“People are entitled to criticise me and the players but there has to be a sense of balance.”

Celtic will host AIK Stockholm in the first leg of their Europa League qualifying playoff on Thursday before travelling to Sweden next week for the return leg.