Celtic boss Gordon Strachan believes the defeat against Benfica is part of a learning curve for his players.
The Hoops were beaten 3-0 in Lisbon on Wednesday to throw into doubt their hopes of progressing into the knockout phase of the Champions League.
Gary Caldwell scored an early own goal and failed to deal with a kick-out from Benfica keeper Quim as Nuno Gomes scored a soft second.
But Strachan feels his squad’s inexperience in Europe’s elite competition means there can be no blame cast.
Skipper Neil Lennon was the only experienced Champions League player to start in Lisbon, while recent big-money signings Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Thomas Gravesen were missing with injury.
Strachan said: “It’s just learning. People think there has to be blame somewhere along the line, but it’s a brand new squad and they’re brand new to the hardest competition in the world.
“Apart from the World Cup itself this is the hardest competition in the world.
“The best players are playing against each other and we’re brand new.
“Some are brand new at 35 and others are brand new at 17.
“There’s new things we have to deal with and it’s brand new for me.
“I really don’t think we need to go and tell the world what we did right and what we did wrong.
“It gives our competitors an insight to us and I don’t think we should give them an insight to anything we do.
“We just get on with it and I don’t like to predict anything.”
Celtic had some good news this week when 19-year-old Evander Sno and Vennegoor of Hesselink were named in the Holland squad for the friendly with England.
Celtic paid Feyenoord £250,000 (€373,659) for fringe player Sno in the summer, on the recommendation of scout Ray Clarke.
Strachan said: “It’s fantastic that Sno is one of the 28 names.
“Ray Clarke has come up with a couple for us. George Boateng came out of the blue as well. He cost Coventry £250,000.
“He’s got good connections there because he played in Belgium and Holland.”