Giorgos Giakoumakis says he is "optimistic" Celtic can progress from their Champions League group into the knockout stage of the competition.
The Hoops ace insists the team are "well-prepared" and confidence is "really high" ahead of their clash with Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw on Wednesday evening. It's their first game since they were beaten 3-0 at home to Real Madrid on Tuesday night - but Giakoumakis says that defeat has only made them stronger.
The striker reckons the experience from the match against the European champions will benefit them tonight - and he hopes they can learn from their mistakes as they bid to blaze a trail through Group F and into to the last 16. Speaking to Celtic TV from the team hotel in the Polish capital, the Greek striker said: "I think the team is well-prepared and our confidence is really high.
"We opened the group against Real Madrid and put in a very good performance but I think it wasn’t enough against that team. We played very well, so in this game now we have to try and collect some points and combine a good performance with trying to get some points.
"I think it helped us adjust in this Champions League group because we played against the best club in the world, so when you play against such strong teams I think it makes you stronger. Maybe we have to do something extra and I think we can do even better. I’m optimistic about this group that we can finish in the top two places.”
Shakhtar turned over RB Leipzig in a 4-1 victory in Germany in their opening Champions League match, and Giakoumakis knows they will be a serious threat - but the Greek ace believes he and his Celtic team-mates are ready for the challenge.
He added: "First of all, we believe a lot in ourselves and in the plan we have as a team and the squad. We are stronger as a team and it’s our second year working on this plan which makes us more confident and ambitious.
"It’s a really important game and we have to start collecting points. Our main goal is to win the three points and that’s what we will fight for.
"We have analysed the opponents and every game has its own points you have to adapt to in the game. We have to be ready and do anything possible to win the three points."
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