Celtic player Erik Sviatchenko opened up about their loss to Lincoln Red imps in their Champions League game.

Many accused the team of taking the game lightly but the ace player has denied such claims. The game has been labelled as one of the biggest upsets in Europe but the player has reiterated the stance of the club that they were not necessarily complacent.

The defender said: “Our preparations were at the highest level they could have been because we knew it was going to be a difficult task. I was here last season with my former (Midtjylland) and I knew how difficult a game it would be.” They player also mentioned that the Scottish football champions put in the best in preparation though they lost the game.

The loss leaves the new manager Brendan Rodgers and the fans surprised and disappointed. The Danish player said their opponents played long balls and had their plan well followed. He said the chances they had didn’t go their way. He accepted that they could have done better but says they would do well when they met at Celtic Pak later.

The pitch was artificial and also played a part in the 1-0 loss as the ball bounced off defender Efe Ambrose to score. Sviatchenko admitted that they trained in the pitch ahead of the game but surprises can’t be ignored in the game of football. Fans took to their various Twitter handles to criticise the team for the loss in the Champions League qualifier but the player says the club would do everything in its power to win the second leg. He adds that the moss will motivate them to do well as they are really determined in playing the UEFA Champions League when it begins. He added that they were still adapting to the new manager but things will work out well at the end.