Guidolin defends selection

Guidolin: Is using the full depth of his squad for his trip to Scotland

Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin has defended his decision to bring a much changed squad to face Celtic in the Europa League.

There have been accusations from certain quarters that Guidolin is disrespecting the competition and Celtic by leaving his stellar names at home.

Antonio Di Natale has been left at home due to fatigue while Paulo Barreto and Antonio Floro Flores are both reported as injured.

It means teenagers Davide Marsura, 17, Christian Battocchio, 19, and Mattis Bedin are all poised to start.

Strength

And Guidolin insists he is happy with the strength of the squad he has brought to Scotland for this encounter.

"My choices are logical," he said. "If anyone doesn't like it then tough. It is a question of necessity. I just don't have any other attackers available.

"I would have brought everyone along but many of the squad are very tired. It is a problem for us but it would have been a problem if Di Natale had travelled. He would have only played some of the game.

"Di Natale has played four games in 15 days and if he were here I couldn't expect great things from him."

Changes

Guidolin believes he the changes made have not been dictated by the team that he is playing, but rather by the situation he finds himself in.

"These are choices that have been forced upon me," he added.

"If we were playing Atletico Madrid or Rennes tomorrow I would have made the same decision but two weeks from now, who knows?

"But let me make it clear to the Scottish journalists, there is absolutely no way that I am turning my nose up at the Europa League or underestimating Celtic, absolutely not.

"This is the toughest group in the competition."