CRAIG GORDON believes that Celtic have to be positive when they go to Athens this week to get the result required to progress to the play-off round of Champions League qualifying.

A 1-1 draw at Celtic Park in the first leg of the tie last week has left the Scottish champions needing to score when they travel to Greece, but Gordon is more than confident that his side can get a win on the road to move one step closer to the group stages for a third successive season.

“It’s a massive opportunity for us to go and put in a good performance and try to get into the next round,” Gordon said.

“We are slightly behind in the tie, so we have to go there and be very positive, and we definitely have the players who are capable and a team that is capable of going there and winning the game.

“That’s what we need to concentrate on now. All the focus is on trying to get through the next round.”

Gordon wasn’t looking for any excuses yesterday as a much-changed Celtic side went down by a goal to nil at Tynecastle, stressing that they should have the depth to cope with such a crowded early season fixture list.

“I think when you look at the team we had out it was still strong enough that we could have won the game today,” he said.

“We didn’t do it, but it could have went either way. One good finish was the difference.

“I don’t think we can go looking for too many excuses. We just didn’t get the job done.

“It’s not changed from any other season. This is what we have to go through at this stage of the season, and we still have to win games.

“Even if we don’t win, we had the chance to get out of here with a 0-0, take a point and move on, but we didn’t manage to do that.

“It was a fairly close game. There wasn’t a great deal of big chances. It was a scrap from start to finish and one strike ends up in the bottom corner and they get the win.

“I don’t think there was a great deal in the game. We would have looked to carry a bigger threat, but we ended up giving away a bad goal and lost the game.”

Meanwhile, hero of the hour Kyle Lafferty, whose second-half volley secured all three points for Hearts yesterday, says that being linked with Rangers is bringing out the best in him.

And while he is a Hearts player, he has vowed not to let speculation affect his performances on the field.

“Getting teams like Rangers interested in you, it’s something you have to look at and you know you’re doing something right,” Lafferty said.

“But it’s up to the two clubs. I owe Hearts and the club the respect to continue giving 110 per cent. If something happens, it happens but it’s out of my hands.

“I am just working hard, playing in games, getting results like today and enjoying football.

“If the clubs agree something, they agree something. If not, then I continue working hard. It’s not going to change my attitude.

“Hearing teams like Rangers interested in you, you tend to give that little bit extra to show that obviously I can play, I can score goals. I will keep on concentrating on myself, doing well for the team and being involved in as many good results as possible.”