After a less-than-convincing Scottish Cup performance against another top-tier Scottish side, Celtic now face a major step up in competition this Thursday as they take on Zenit St. Petersburg in the Europa League.

It's fair to say most Celtic fans might not know much about the Russian outfit. But here's the good news: in today's digital age, you can pull up everything you need on your laptop—league standings, recent results, even match highlights. A quick Google search and you're clued in.

It wasn't always this easy. Back in the late '60s and early '70s, we had to rely on someone watching our opponents live and reporting back. And that intel? Let's just say it was hit or miss. I always wanted to know one thing: how fast was the left winger I'd be marking? The answer was almost always "pretty quick." But was his "pretty quick" faster than my "pretty quick"? That's the detail that could win or lose a game.

It sounds primitive now, but it's the truth. When we faced European giants for the first time—Vojvodina Novi Sad, Dukla Prague, Red Star Belgrade, Saint-Étienne, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Fiorentina, even Feyenoord—we'd never seen them play before. Not in person, not on a screen. Imagine how different those nights might have been with just a bit of video analysis.

Fast forward to today: Zenit sit second in the Russian Premier League. They're a tough, disciplined side, and Celtic must be ready. That means three things. First, every single player on the pitch has to show up mentally from the first whistle. It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how often it doesn't happen. Second, we have to compete for every ball. Win those battles, and you win possession. And with possession, the sky's the limit. Third, it would be huge if we could take a lead back to Russia.

Thursday night at Celtic Park is a chance to write another European chapter. The stage is set—now it's time to perform.