Lazio trip summons memories of Celtic triumph

This time, the talk has been of the Celtic party visiting the Vatican the day after the game. Last time, the tourism was done prior to a European engagement with Lazio.

What happened next remains one of the high points of Lennon’s storied career.

Again, Celtic conceded first. Again, they roared back. And again, they found a late winner to stun Lazio once more and earn the Scottish Premiership side a place in the last 32.

“We’d gone out a day earlier than we normally do,” Lennon told BBC Scotland.

“We took the boys out, let them rest a little bit, went a little walk around Rome – the Colosseum and the Vatican. When it came to the game, they were really champing at the bit to play.

“Lazio, at the time, were second in Serie A – we knew how good they were. We knew the enormity of the game, but we were quietly confident.”

Celtic had never won in Italy in 13 attempts, but, with 10,000 of their supporters in the city on what turned out to be a febrile night, they ended that run in dramatic fashion.

Just like in Glasgow, Lennon’s side trailed, Ciro Immobile flashing in a back-post volley after just seven minutes. However, Lazio’s ferocious start eased and James Forrest lashed Celtic level.

Then, five minutes into stoppage time, with the visitors trying to hold on to a precious point, a rare counter culminated in Olivier Ntcham running on to an Odsonne Edouard pass to slide in the winner.

“We didn’t start well,” Lennon said. “We were hesitant and weren’t playing to our levels. But we scored a fantastic equaliser and, from then on, we matched Lazio.

“It was a perfectly-timed winner. And it was one of the results of my career as a player or manager.”

Neil Lennon was speaking to BBC Scotland’s Kenny Macintyre