EXCLUSIVE: Paul Lambert on Celtic facing Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Old Firm derby

welcome to plz soccer I'm joined by former Celtic and berusia Dortmund midfielder Paul Lambert a man who can boast a Champions League winners medal among his collection there's not many can say that so first of all Paul what are your immediate Reflections on the draw it's a bit crazy I think Allison because the two clubs I played with are are really close so um it's a it's a great occasion it's a great game it's in Dortmund which is which is great it's new for Celtic and new for the fans to go over and see it because everybody talks about the stadium and the way the yellow wall is and things like that and it's a great I was there on Saturday I was there last Saturday watching them and they were very good and the atmosphere was was incredible for the first game so um they played a really good game Dortmund and they've got a new new team new coach but they they started the season really well but C who enjoy going over there last season's Champions League finalist last season's Europa League finalists and two conference League semifinalists what is a plausible return for Celtic from this campaign well I think I think the new format is um I mean I watched some yesterday I mean it's it's like an entertainment show you know just make the draw and get the teams out and let them play that all this nonsense that you see yesterday is H people think it's great television B was actually pretty boring that that draw but it's a new format and I think the the new format gives clubs like Celtic a better chance probably to win one or two games because you can't keep playing a club Bes size a Celtic you can't keep playing European competitions Allison and ending up with one and zero points that don't that doesn't add up the club's too big for that does great domestically as you said but it needs to make a little dent in Europe and hopefully this hope this new format does that it gives clubs who are not in the elite elite bracket it gives him a little chance to um maybe have a little crack at the qualific or the The Knockout rounds you know and is it viable for Celtic then to go on and reach the group stages well you look at it you've eight games I mean take you've not got the six anymore you've got eight you another two more and you've got obviously they've got lives you get home will be tough they're a good side they shouldn't don't be underestimated if you look at young boys as well put put out galatas there's not an easy game in Europe s are going to have to earn it going away to dortmund's going to be tough going away to Aston Villa is going to be tough the home games you like to think they've got a real good shout at that but I don't they're going to have to earn that it's not going to be easy it's a tough tough section there you know all about playing in a Battle of Britain well Celtic fans realize the opportunity to go up against Aston Villa oh they'll go down there in the Thousand as you know they'll probably take over Birmingham that's the way it is that's that's the life and I don't care how big a club there's anything in England there's nothing with Celtic that that goes without without saying if C were in that English Premiership I will say it if they were in that English Premiership they would they would do War most clubs give them the same finances give them the same start you you need to build another tier in Celtic par that's a bigger fan basis but they'll go down there in the thousands and it won't be easy for ason even though they're playing really well when they manager and his team have done great really good club don't get me wrong it's a really good club but Celtic have every chance down and getting getting something if they perform will Villa be surprised by Celtic do you think 100% listen there's an ignal from down south to what is up here there's 100% that you can ask anybody anybody that's played for the club Celtic I bet if you even ask Casper and Joe har what they thought about Celtic I bet give you a different perception of what they did before they actually came and that's that's the case of it's that magnitude a club you take it out out of Scotland you put it in a English Premiership for few years to find her feet it would be Mammoth and and that's the way the club is and you you have to have big shoulders to play for it because of the pressure it's on it and it's um it's a tough place to play Cel if you don't don't perform but go to V there's nothing to fear Celtic is a massive massive club without a doubt is there a different Builder up and atmosphere around these games when when you're playing a side South of the Border yeah 100% you've got that to it you want to put one over them without a doubt you've got to win a game anyway for Champions League stuff you've got to win the game but there's also that cross border thing as well that you want to go there and put a marker down with it you know and doesn't matter if John M's playing for ason V or not he's Scottish or he's a Celtic fan it don't matter doesn't matter to any Celtic fan it won't matter to any Celtic player you going to put a marker on it and and you going to do your best to to win the game but that's the case with when you play for the club you have to realize that the the club has to win in Europe everybody's looking for them to make a mark so hopefully hopefully this is a year that they they do make a mark you played against Blackburn Rovers and there was a Infamous men against boys remark made after the first leg by gamson was that an added incentive to you guys as a squad yeah of course you know I mean I think that you look at the Celtic team that we had that era I mean you You' seen it that was um they were a team of man really strong guys mentally strong character- wise was strong and they were a right good side a right top side and that team would went anywhere to to2 a lot of them as as you will know and um the craziest thing is we criticized for getting beat with portal and portal get win the Champions League the following year so uh you look at that the how um High a level we played at that time knocking out black B and Liverpool we were strong could hold their own with anybody I think at any any time so it's a different era but this team the Celtic current team at the minute is a good side hopefully they can they can handle the the occasion of Day games because they're going to be massive games but the when somebody says things like that yeah on the back of your mind you you want to prove them wrong that what they're talking really is is nonsense really the team of that era of course had such a formidable return from games at Celtic Park it's been on the way across the last decade or so just how important is it for Celtic that they try and recapture that Fortress element at Celtic park I think their home games are key I think they give you the Catalyst to get a chance of it um I think you have to I mean you're right I think we were undefeated in Europe more or less I think I can't remember I can't remember a European team beating us a parkhe and um in that time so I think when you look at this year the current team I think they're going to have to start to win the games at Park head it gives them a chance it makes things a little bit easier going away from home but there's no too much pressure when you when you don't get the results at home so I think it's important they they do get the get the results at home that that will set them up and if they can get the results at home which hopefully they will that that sets them up for the tougher away games you're up now in Glasgow for the game at Celtic Park on Sunday the first derby of the Season as Brandon Roger side go up again strangers what are you expecting from that one looking from AAR I I just think Celtic are so much stronger and and play more technically better football than what Rangers do I think Rangers are are getting results through just been better than other teams at the minute but I think they we come up against a different Celtic team on on on Sunday you can never you can never predict where the old F's going to go or the Celtic Rangers game is going to go you can never predict that it doesn't matter who's playing well and who's who's not but on paper and you look at it being at Celtic Park you think there's only going to be one winner the biggest things there no away fans you know I think that's it's not good for the game it's it makes Scottish Football even worse from the outside looking and it needs it needs all the two sets of fans to come back into the stadiums in a full capacity of it so I think that takes a bit of a way it so I think Rangers will will will defend and try and hit them on the counter I think that's the way Rangers will play I don't think they've got the players that can actually Celtic up but Celtic do what they do in the last few games and I can't see anything other than a Celtic one psychologically what is the pressure on Rangers just given how dominant Celtic have been in this fixture and particularly how dominant Brandon Rogers is across his two spell as a Celtic manager when it comes to games against Rangers well I think as the longer it goes on there's more pressure on the manager if he can get a turn against Celtic then that's what he'll be probably judged on as where where he can get results against Celtic and the longer that goes on for him it's the more pressure that he'll he'll receive and that's that's that's the same if it was the other way around you know if it happened to Brandon it would be the the exact same but when you play your your biggest Rivals you've got to beat them sometime to to really a bit of pressure from yourself and and the team so the longer this run goes on and and it's not just at Celtic Park it's iooks as well they can't beat them highs so the longer this goes on the more the more um I think agitated the Rangers bored and the Rangers fans will become playing at hon doesn't help one one bit I think that's been a mess so I think when you look at the whole the whole scenario longer this goes on the more pressure it heaps on Rangers and and C need a strong Rangers as well Allison they need a strong Rangers but the at the moment over over a season I don't think they've got it just at this moment I make it may be later on maybe it does come I don't know but in this moment I'm not so sure it's it's strong enough to compete with Celtic you've come all the way up for it it's a game you clearly still enjoy it's great it's great I mean all say you could play this fixure on the moon and people would travel to go and see it because it's that crazy a game so it's just a just a p there's no fans I think that's that's when it becomes its best but as what it is and hopefully hopefully whoever it is gets their head together and say okay we need to we need to change this format thanks as always for joining us on pz soccer don't forget you can download our app and get access to 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