ADAM MATTHEWS has warned that Celtic will need to raise their game for their Europa League tie against Salzburg this week or risk being "turned over".
Ronny Deila's side welcome the Austrians to Parkhead on Thursday night knowing a victory will guarantee them a place in the last 32 of the competition. Deila described Saturday's 2-1 SPFL Premiership victory over Dundee as "a poor performance" and Matthews echoed that sentiment, believing Celtic will need to perform substantially better if they are to defeat the side with which they drew 2-2 in the group's opening match.
"It's going to be a tough game and we know from the away match the threats that they pose," said the defender. "We know we've got to be on our game and play better than we did [on Saturday] or else they will turn us over. Hopefully we will get a good crowd here and can win the match."
Should Celtic fail to record a victory over Salzburg, and Dinamo Zagreb defeat Astra Giurgiu in the other Group D game, Deila's side would need to get a positive result away to the Croatians in the final match. Matthews hopes to avoid such a scenario. "We don't want it to go down to the last match," he added.
"We'd like to get the job done as soon as possible. We were a little unhappy we didn't qualify in the last match [a 1-1 draw away to Astra] but Thursday is another chance to show Europe what we can do."
Celtic will welcome Scott Brown back on Thursday after the club captain, who last week signed a new deal tying him to Parkhead until 2018, missed the Dundee match through suspension. "We missed the captain [on Saturday]," admitted Matthews. "It will be a big boost to see him back in the team. It's brilliant that he's signed a new contract. I didn't think he'd go anywhere.
"He's Celtic through and through. It's great for the club to have signed such a good and influential player. Hopefully he can keep playing the way he has been this season."
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