Celtic keeper expects Cluj test

Scott Bain feels Celtic will have to be on top form to claim a first leg advantage in their Champions League qualifier at CFR Cluj on Wednesday.

Celtic are 2.40 to win, Cluj can be backed at 3.10 and a draw is 3.10.

The Scottish giants were comfortable winners in the previous round as they saw off Estonia’s Kalju 7-0 on aggregate, but keeper Bain believes Cluj will prove to be tougher opposition.

The Romanian champions overcame Maccabi Tel Aviv to set up the double header with Celtic and have a strong record at home, as they head into Wednesday’s game seeking a fourth successive victory at the CFR Cluj Stadium.

Bain is confident the Bhoys can progress as they bid to secure a spot in the Champions League group stages but he is taking nothing for granted ahead of the trip to Cluj-Napoca.

“It’s going to be a really difficult game. They like to work hard and put balls into the box,” Bain told the club website. “We’ll need to strong defensively, and every man on the pitch will need to work hard on the night. “I think any away game in Europe is a tough one.

It’ll be a tough tonight, but we need to go full of confidence from the result we had at the weekend. We come in with a game-plan and hopefully we can stick to that and win. “For us it’s a case of – if we want to make the Champions League, we need to get through these sorts of ties.

We know it’ll be a challenge, but we’re in good shape.” Celtic will be without Kieran Tierney, Tom Rogic and Daniel Arzani for the first leg in Romania but new signing Hatem Abd Elhamed has recovered from a dead leg and is available.