NEW Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas has told Neil Lennon he is ready and willing to step into the firing line as the champions look to get their quest for 10-in-a-row off to a flyer against Hamilton on Sunday.
Barkas checked into Celtic Park yesterday upon the completion of his £5.5m move from Greek side AEK Athens, signing a four-year deal to become the new Celtic number one.
The Greek international trained with his new teammates yesterday, and feels certain that he can immediately step into the large gloves left behind by Fraser Forster.
“I think with two more days of training, yes I can play,” Barkas said.
“I’m so excited and I can’t wait to train with my new team-mates and play my first game.
“I know already [how big this season is]. I spoke already with the coach and other guys in the team told me, but it is important every year at Celtic.
“They are the biggest team, so every year, they want the championship.
“I don’t feel pressure or something like that. Even in AEK, I don’t feel pressure. I’m working every day to do my job just like my teammates, so I don’t feel anything extra.
“I feel comfortable with this and I want to do my job, keep clean sheets and help my team to win.”
If Barkas is handed a first start by manager Neil Lennon, the experience at an empty Celtic Park will be in stark contrast to his last visit to the ground, where he played for AEK in the Champions League qualifiers in 2018.
He says though that the prospect of running out in front of 60,000 supporters one day in the near future was a major draw for him when deciding to come to Glasgow.
“I remember the atmosphere here in the stadium, it was something very special for me,” he said. “For now, it’s impossible to experience that again but I think in one, two, or three months people will come again to the stadium and I want to relive that again.
“At that time, I didn’t think that [I would sign for Celtic] but this is football, a lot of fans supporting the team is what I like and it’s what I’m waiting for.”
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