How Celtic can pull off a shock win over Valencia

Celtic have their backs against the wall for Thursday’s Europa League second leg against Valencia after losing the home tie 2-0.

The Hoops will look to pinch a ticket to the round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday at Mestalla.

Brendan Rodgers needs to have his team pumped up with the belief that we haven’t seen in European football during his time at the club.

Losing 2-0 already, Celtic cannot afford to let Valencia settle in and get numbers behind the ball.

The visitors certainly have to get the opening goal to have a chance. Valencia are a quality side as they sit eighth in La Liga at the moment, but the Scottish champions still have a chance to pull off the impossible.

Celtic have nothing to lose so they will have to be brave and audacious on Thursday evening. Edouard will likely start up top after impressing off the bench in the first leg.

Valencia will sit in and defend their 2-0 advantage, which will be difficult, but if Celtic can find an early goal then Valencia will be under severe pressure and the Hoops will have all the momentum.

Even when Celtic have the momentum, they need to play smart. They can’t afford to lose focus and give up a cheap goal, as they did in the previous meeting with Valencia.

This Celtic team will be hungry after a disappointing home showing and a dramatic winner at the weekend. Jeremy Toljan will be ready to prove that he has the quality after two disappointing performances last week.

The Dortmund loanee won’t have a chance at success if the front three of Celtic don’t always find a job to do, constantly interchanging and causing confusion amongst the Valencia defence.

Scott Brown will be looking to prove talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham wrong by showing that his celebration sparked Celtic to overcome this 2-0 deficit.