NEIL Lennon has concerns over Kris Commons and Anthony Stokes ahead of the Champions League clash with Helsinki but he hailed Celtic´s 1-1 draw with Inter Milan at Parkhead on Saturday.
Commons put the Hoops ahead with a spectacular volley into the top corner just before half-time.
However, the winger was forced to quit with an injury late in the game, and having used all their substitutes, the Hoops were forced to play out the remainder of the game with 10 men.
Rodrigo Palacio then struck late leveller from close-range.
The UEFA Champions League third round qualifier against HJK Helsinki is only days away but Lennon declared himself happy after the Hoops finally showed some pre-season form.
He said: “There was a real spring in their step and they played very well. I was really pleased with that performance against a class side.
“I thought in particularly the first hour, the senior boys were excellent. It was good to see Emilio playing so well again, along with the likes of Victor and Georgios. The team as a whole were very good. We played some good football against a very good side.
“We scored a very good goal and created lots of chances. To say that´s the best we have played in pre-season would be an understatement. Obviously towards the end we introduced some of the kids and were down to 10 men for the last 10 minutes. So it was a worthwhile exercise.
“We conceded a late goal but that was an irrelevance really to what we were looking for on the piece as a whole.”
Commons and Anthony Stokes, who was stretchered off after blocking a ball, are both in doubt for the game on Wednesday but the manager is hopeful they will recover in time.
“They both have badly twisted ankles so the next 24 hours is important to how they react,” he said. “Kris is a bigger doubt just now than Anthony but we will give them as long as possible to see if they can recover in time for the game on Wednesday.”
On a more positive note, Scott Brown, Thomas Rogne, James Forrest, Kelvin Wilson and Beram Kayal, who didn’t feature against the Nerazzurri, should be in contention for selection on Wednesday night.
“Scott Brown was just as a precaution,” explained the manager. “He is still coming back from surgery in June so we don´t to overwork him. Thomas Rogne was rested, while James Forrest got a bang in training on his foot and we had it x-rayed this morning and he should be okay.
“Kelvin Wilson has shin splints. He came off with them on Wednesday. But you get that at this time of year with the hard ground, so, again, he has been for a scan and it´s just some soft tissue damage, so he should be okay for Wednesday,” he added. “Kayal has done some extra work and he will train on Monday as well.”
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