Celtic face losing a £7.4 million windfall if they fail to overturn Shakhter Karagandy’s two-goal Champions League lead, but midfielder Joe Ledley hopes the pressure situation will inspire the Hoops to another memorable success.
Reaching the group stages promises a huge initial cash injection through prize money, but Neil Lennon’s side are perched on a knife-edge following their first-leg defeat in Kazakhstan.
Ledley has already tasted the drama of several big European nights in Glasgow’s East End after playing a crucial part in Celtic’s run to the last 16 last term.
Now he believes Wednesday’s make-or-break climax to this season’s qualifying bid will bring out the best in himself and his team-mates.
He said: “This is one of the biggest games of my life so much is at stake. So much depends on this game and there is so much pressure on myself and my team-mates.
“Hopefully we can thrive on it and go from there. We want to play in the Champions League, it’s a fantastic competition. Last season was one of the best in our careers and hopefully we can qualify again.”
In the past, the might of Celtic’s 60,000-strong backing from the stands has been enough to close the on-pitch gap with world-class opponents such as AC Milan, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Celtic were stunned by Karagandy’s display in the first leg as Andrei Finonchenko and Sergey Khizhnichenko put them ahead. But Ledley insists the Kazakhs were not underestimated.
He said: “They are a big team and dangerous from set-plays but we can’t let that get inside our head. We just have to play the way we would normally.
“They didn’t really surprise us as we knew they were going to be a good team and they proved that. We dominated possession in the first game and they sat in.
“I’d be surprised if they came out and attacked in the second leg, but whatever formation they play we need to be able to break them down.
“Everyone would want an early goal but we scored two against Inverness at the weekend pretty late, and as long as we get two or three, and do not concede, I will be happy.”