Strachan backs Celtic to qualify

Updated 09.47 Thu Oct 25 2007

Keywords: SPL, Champions League, football, Gordon Strachan, Celtic, sport

Gordon Strachan is refusing to give up hope of Celtic reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League for the second season in a row.

The Bhoys find themselves bottom of Group D following their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Benfica after Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo finally beat the visitors' goalkeeper Artur Boruc on 87 minutes in Lisbon.

"We are definitely not out of it. We qualified with nine points last season and at the moment the teams in the group have six, six, three and three" - Gordon Strachan

But Strachan, whose men have now gone 14 games without a win away from home in European club football's premier competition, is backing his men to bounce back having already beaten reigning European champions AC Milan at Parkhead.

The Celtic boss said: "It's not easy to take, but we have taken bigger blows in the past and there is no doubt there will be bigger blows in the future.

"There was plenty of application and heart and on that we deserved a point but it was just tiredness that beat us in the end.

"But we are definitely not out of it. We qualified with nine points last season and at the moment the teams in the group have six, six, three and three. A point against Benfica would have been really excellent but we are definitely not out of it."