Callum McGregor reckons it will need perfection for Celtic to melt Bodo/Glimt.
The Parkhead skipper admits there is simply no margin for error as his team-mates aim to keep alive their European dreams.
Ange Postecoglou ’s team are 3-1 down from the first leg seven days ago heading into tonight’s return in the Arctic Circle.
Celtic are in danger of being frozen out of the Europa Conference League at the first knockout stage, with the Norwegians favourites to complete the job in Aspmyra Stadium having secured their impressive win in Glasgow’s east end.
McGregor knows the visitors have to be without flaws in the snow.
Asked if it will take a perfect performance for his team to reach the last 16, the captain said: “Yes, I think so. We can’t afford to make any mistakes.
“To get through we pretty much need to be perfect in the sense that we don’t concede and we can get three goals to take us through.
“That’s the challenge and all we can do is prepare as well as we can, give absolutely everything and do everything the manager wants us to do. If we do those things correctly we have a chance to get through.
“We have to score three and be perfect at the back.
“That’s the challenge – but it’s a good challenge.
“We seem to rise to challenges when they come along and that’s what we’ll need to do again. We’ll go for it as much as we can.”
McGregor’s final statement makes it clear the Hoops won’t step off the pedal having shown an ability to score important goals on the road in Europe.
Despite conceding 15 goals in six away days in Europe, Postecoglou’s men have netted 14 at the other end with the positive approach adopted by the boss.
McGregor said: “That’s the way the manager wants us to play. He wants us to be aggressive no matter who we are playing and take the game to the opposition, implement our style on to a game.
“This match will be no different. We have spoken about trying to overturn the lead and it will be a difficult task.”
Celtic’s squad arrived in Bodo into extreme conditions.
Temperatures at kick-off are likely to be around minus six but locals have suggested it will really feel like around minus 13 due to a biting wind chill which swept through the town last night.
McGregor isn’t sure if there are any comparisons he could make to previous trips he’s had for club or country. He said: “I remember we went to St Petersburg and it was about minus 16 but they closed the roof in the stadium.
“That (Russia) would be one of the coldest countries I’ve been to.”
What he does know is that encountering another fresh environment will be a valuable building block in the development of the squad.
Many of McGregor’s team-mates have sampled European competition for the first time in the past few months and it’s part of their process.
A keen student of the game, the midfielder also enjoys the variables and said: “You grow as people, you see different cultures, you go and see the set-ups of different clubs in different countries and that’s a good thing to see.
“In football you are always learning. No matter what level you get to, you see new things and absorb as much of it as possible.
“It’s good to see how other clubs are set up and run.
“It is always good to look at how these teams operate and, once you have played the game, you watch it back, see where they are in their leagues and try to compare it to where you are going.
“Hopefully, that can help you grow as a person as much as anything else.
“When you get a group of players, and young players as well, there are not that many clubs around Europe where you get the chance to play European football consecutively every year.
“You do get that at Celtic and it is brilliant exposure for the players.
“When you get young players and new players in, there isn’t a magic formula from day one to say we’re going to be ready.
“You need to make your mistakes, have your good games and bad games, always be learning within it.
“Hopefully within that, there comes a point where you level off and you feel comfortable playing in those competitions.
“There is still a lot of growth left in these players. We seemed to get better as our Europa League campaign went on.
“This game is another challenge as a group and as players, so we’re looking forward to it and hopefully we can put in a performance that can get us through.”
McGregor also insists he is improving each day as he recovers from the facial injury which currently requires him to wear a protective mask during matches.
He added: “I’m feeling much better. The face feels good. Obviously, the bruising and everything else has gone away so that’s good.
“I’ve maybe a wee while to go yet but I’m moving in the right direction.”
