But those feelings have been tempered this afternoon with the news everyone inside Parkhead was fearing, that Agathe faces four to six weeks on the sidelines after a scan showed a hamstring tear.

“Didier has been back to his best recently,” said O’Neill.

“In our European matches he has been especially terrific for us.

“No-one will forget his performance in Stuttgart where he was absolutely outstanding and was given great credit for our win by no less a manager than Felix Magath.

“It is an absolutely massive blow for us and there is no doubt that we could have done with him against Liverpool on Thursday night.

“He has been terrific and it is another big loss for us.”

Agathe has urged his team-mates to win the tie for him – but he admits watching them could be too much to bare.

The 27-year-old said: “I really hope that the team plays well and gets a good result on Thursday against Liverpool, but I know that it will be very difficult to watch the game from the stand.

“After the result on Saturday the confidence is high, and if we get a good result against Liverpool then it will give us another boost going into the game against Rangers on Sunday at Hampden.

“It’s a shame that the injury happened at this time because it is not often that you get the chance to play in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.

“Not only that, but Liverpool are a big club, so are Celtic, and I am sure the game will be something special.

“There is nothing that I can do about it, I can’t change it and there is little point in looking backwards.

“I have to look ahead, and hopefully the team will play well enough to get into the semi-final and maybe I can play in that one.

“There will be an incredible atmosphere in the ground which is important because it can make a big difference on the park.”

Agathe’s injury is a huge blow after hitman Larsson told Martin O’Neill he was ready to gun down Liverpool in the first leg at Parkhead on Thursday.

The 43-goal former Swedish international striker has been out of action since suffering a double fracture of the jaw over a month ago.

But he has stepped up his efforts in training to convince his manager that he would not be a risk if he was thrown straight back into action.

“If the manager picks me, I am ready to play,” he told Swedish newspaper Expressen.

“I have done two training sessions and I have not got any reactions so everything feels okay.

“If anything unexpected happens I am at his disposal for the game on Thursday. It’s up to him if he plays me from the start or lets me start on the bench.”

Larsson’s desperation to face Liverpool is encouraging news for O’Neill after the Agathe bombshell.

But the striker has been given the all-clear from the medical staff and he is hoping to play.

“The jaw fracture has healed now,” he said. “The doctors have cleared me and I am now going to practice at 100%.

“All I can say is this is a big game that nobody wants to miss.”