Andrei Lunev, the Zenit St Petersburg goalkeeper, reckons the roof being closed in tomorrow’s second-leg showdown will shut the door on Celtic’s Europa League dreams.
Temperatures are expected to drop to as low as minus 15 during the day of the last-32 clash in St Petersburg.
But that won’t be an issue for either side because the roof will be closed in Zenit’s £700m Krestovsky Stadium.
Read more: Olivier Ntcham's reward for choosing Celtic is months like this one
And Russia international Lunev is convinced the Zenit fans will raise the roof on Celtic after being blown away by the first-leg atmosphere in Glasgow.
He said: “Celtic Park was a wonderful stadium with an incredible atmosphere. It was just a shame about the result. But it will be a different atmosphere at our place with the roof closed. Celtic will be under our cloak this time. There is always a great atmosphere when the roof is shut. Now it is our fans’ turn to make the noise.”
Lunev recovered from being taken to hospital with a head injury while playing for Russia in a friendly against Spain in November, and he insists playing against Celtic proved he is back to his best.
He said: “I had to rush out at a Celtic player’s feet during the game. It’s an instinct and is part of my game.
“You can only be protected so much and that showed I have no problems.”
The Glasgow club have been told the new pitch at Zenit St Petersburg’s stadium is ready for tomorrow night’s game.
The Russians took the opportunity of their winter break to rip up their old pitch at their Krestovsky Stadium and have laid a brand new hybrid surface.
This will be the first match played on the new surface and the Baltic club are confident the pitch will pass the test with flying colours.
Zenit’s director of infrastructure, Vladimir Litvinov, said: “The new pitch has bedded in well. Everything has gone according to schedule and the surface and the stadium are all ready for the match. It’s a hybrid surface which was grown in Denmark with the latest technology.
“We have got FIFA approval for it and we are very confident it will perform well when Zenit play Celtic in the Europa League.”
Meanwhile, Zenit skipper Domenico Criscito has warned Celtic his side won’t make the same mistakes again when they face them at home.
The Italian international said: “The first game after a break is always played with great difficulty. We had a two-month rest and we played in the UK, which isn’t easy either.
“British teams run a lot, they are very physical and we were forced to move all the time. But even if we had drawn 0-0, the situation has not changed. We need to score. I know we will have opportunities and with the support of our fans that will change things hugely.
“After the game we had a meeting and we know we have to win this.
And I think we will.”
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