UEFA Cup semi-final, second leg - Boavista v Celtic: Martin O'Neill could have done worse last night than sit his players down in front of a video of their recent game away to Liverpool.
At Anfield last month, Celtic overcame the odds by winning, having drawn the home leg of their UEFA Cup tie. A repeat at Boavista tonight will take them to their first European final for 33 years.
As against Gerard Houllier's team in the previous round, Celtic have travelled level at 1-1. Once more they know they must score to stand a chance of progressing.
Given that they have found the net in every game of this run, including at Celta Vigo and Blackburn, they are unlikely to be put off by that.
Neither will suggestions that they blew their best chance a fortnight ago at Celtic Park much worry them. O'Neill's players have been told their European adventure might be over plenty of times. They have saved some of their best displays for their travels.
"They were written off after the first game against Blackburn in October," O'Neill noted. "We are still here because of wonderful away performances and scoring goals. Getting to this stage has been fantastic but we are not going to give it up easily. The lads feel as if they are capable of scoring."
Some Boavista players sound highly confident, with the Argentinian defender Fernando Avalos saying, "Celtic can forget about playing in the final", but the Portuguese club's coach Jaime Moreira Pacheco is more cautious. He knows O'Neill's team are dangerous away.
"I think the way they play is naturally more suited to being away from home," he said. "They like more space to attack and they are very strong, and conditions in away games are more suited to that."
O'Neill described the mood as upbeat despite the weekend league defeat by Hearts. He must decide whether to bring Chris Sutton back into midfield after injury.
Sutton's physical presence and scoring threat could be valuable, but his match fitness is questionable, so he may well begin on the bench with Paul Lambert starting.
Boavista's domestic form is poor and they are 12th after losing last week, but O'Neill is treating that as an irrelevance, noting they "lost interest in the league months ago".
Boavista have said they will not play for a 0-0, which would put them through on their away goal, and O'Neill again expects them to use a direct style.
Key Brazilian defender Paulo Turra is suspended for the tie and is likely to be replaced by Argentine Fernando Avalos.
Forward Joaquim Martelinho is doubtful after complaining of muscle pains in his right leg during at the weekend, but Brazilian marksman Elpidio Silva is expected to be fit after a bout of myalgia.Boavista have the added incentive of trying to set up an all-Portuguese final with Porto, who take a 4-1 lead to Lazio in the other semi-final.
The Portuguese league leaders gave Roberto Mancini's side a lesson in soccer two weeks ago when goals by Maniche, Helder Postig and a double from Derlei cancelled out an early strike from Claudio Lopez.
After the match, Lazio coach Roberto Mancini appealed to fans to pack out the Olympic Stadium for the return match.
Organisers responded by slashing ticket prices and offering tickets priced at €1 to women and children under 16 as an incentive.
Around 40,000 Lazio supporters have bought tickets and should be rewarded with a game in which their club go on the attack right from the start.
Lazio are expected to be headed by a three-man strike force of Enrico Chiesa, Simone Inzaghi and Lopez and bolstered by wing-backs Massimo Oddo and Cesar.
BOAVISTA (4-4-2, probable): Ricardo; Rui Oscar, Eder, Avalos, Mario Loja; Pedro Santos, Pedrosa, Filipe Anunciacao; Duda, Silva.
CELTIC (3-5-2, probable): Douglas; Mjallby, Balde, Valgaeren; Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Lambert, Thompson; Larsson, Hartson.
Guardian Service
