RAPID VIENNA v CELTIC, Europa League Group C
Venue: Happel Stadium, Vienna Date: Thursday, 17 December Kick-off: 1800 GMT Coverage: BBC Radio Scotland and live text on BBC Sport website

Mowbray insists the Celtic team are looking forward to the match in Vienna

Celtic are in Vienna hoping for a Europa League win to keep confidence high for the weekend game at Hearts.

The Scots cannot progress in the competition but manager Tony Mowbray insists the match against Rapid Vienna is one the team is taking seriously.

"You've got to respect the tournament. We're here to give a good account of ourselves and to win to keep the confidence going into Sunday," he said.

"It will be a test for the players but one we are looking forward to."

Both Celtic and their hosts at the Ernst Happel Stadium, Rapid Vienna, are out of contention in Group C, with Hamburg and Hapoel Tel-Aviv having already qualified from the four-team section.

Rapid are a point behind Celtic and need a win to avoid finishing at the foot of the table. The teams drew 1-1 in Glasgow on 1 October, Scott McDonald scoring the equaliser at Celtic Park.

This time round the focus for Mowbray is likely to be on giving some fringe players first-team football.

"I've just about picked the team in my mind," said the manager at his team's media conference in Vienna.

"I don't think we'll do anything tonight that will influence it unless we get an injury in training.

"If one or two fringe players get an opportunity, they are trying to keep themselves in the forefront of my mind when I pick the next team.

"We expect a professional performance. We're here to win and be positive. I hear there will be a decent crowd in the stadium and it will be a great atmosphere."

Paddy McCourt will not be one of the players given the chance to catch Mowbray's eye.

The former Derry City attacking midfielder will miss the match due to a groin injury, but Niall McGinn, Paul Caddis, Chris Killen, Willo Flood and Koki Mizuno could find themselves being given some game time.

We always felt we had opportunities to pick up the points required and yet we left it too late Tony Mowbray reflects on his Celtic side's Europa League campaign

McGinn told reporters that he felt he had surpassed his own expectations about how often he might feature this season.

"I feel I've sort of overachieved. I've made 13 or 14 appearances so far and if I get to start the game, I'll be over the moon," said the 22-year-old Northern Ireland international.

"Even being part of the squad is good in itself. I'm loving my time at Celtic."

Reflecting on his team's disappointing campaign in the inaugural Europa League, Mowbray said: "We've missed opportunities to pick up points along the way. Every game we've played in has been very tight.

"But look at Rapid's results, beating Hamburg on the opening day 3-0 and losing the last game 3-0 at home to Hapoel. It's been a strange set of results.

"As the league unfolded we always felt we had opportunities to pick up the points required and yet we left it too late.

"A goal from one of the three or four clear-cut chances we had in Hamburg, win that game 1-0 and we'd have been sitting here hoping to qualify from the group tomorrow night, but it wasn't to be."

Instead, the reality for Mowbray and Celtic is that their main ambition for the remainder of the season is winning the Scottish Premier League title.

Trailing Rangers by a point, they play Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

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