Ronny Deila insists Celtic will not risk their Champions League aspirations by embarking on another gruelling pre-season travel schedule . The Norwegian blamed last summer ’ s money-spinning programme of games in the United States , Austria , Germany for a damaging 4-1 qualifying defeat to Legia Warsaw . Celtic command lucrative fees for pre-season commitments and have also taken on trips to Australia and the Far East in recent seasons . Ronny Deila and Nir Bitton walk off the pitch after losing to Legia Warsaw in Champions League qualifying . A return to America for this July has not yet been ruled out . With £16million on offer just for returning to the Champions League group stages , however , Deila says he has the blessing of chief executive Peter Lawwell to scale down this summer ’ s commitments . ‘ It is not going to be the same , ’ he said . ‘ We are going to play less games , travel less and really prepare for those games . ‘ I want to do it differently than we did it last year . I think we did way too much travelling and way too much games. ’ Faced with over-turning the 4-1 first leg defeat in Warsaw last summer , Deila remained with his first team in Glasgow while a Celtic development squad suffered a 6-1 thrashing to Spurs in an exhibition game at Helsinki ’ s Olympic Stadium . ‘ It is not positive to play games with half a team and lose 5-1 and 6-1 , ’ said the Celtic boss . ‘ It is not positive for the confidence and the atmosphere in the club . We don ’ t like to lose . When we play we want to prepare as well as possible and that is going to be the main issue now in pre-season. ’ A Celtic development squad were thrashed by Tottenham in a pre-season friendly last season . The SPFL champions recently secured a new kit deal with American manufacturers New Balance , raising the chances of a return to the States . Despite the financial attractions of a packed pre-season programme , however , Deila says he has backing from Lawwell to do most of the preparation in Scotland . ‘ He is with me . We are on the same lines so that hasn ’ t been a problem . We are talking about the United States but then everything has to be perfect there . ‘ We haven ’ t decided 100 per cent but I think we are going to stay here for the first 14 days and have games around here . We will have a couple of games that we go away to play , maybe two or three . So less travelling , more calm . Players will have been abroad on vacation and will come back and prepare the right way and play games here. ’ Acknowledging at the same time that overseas trips generate cash for the club , Deila responded : ‘ Yes , but there is more money in the Champions League. ’ Deila says Celtic wo n't be travelling as much in pre-season as they look to qualify for the group stages .
Celtic travelled to the United States , Austria and Germany last pre-season . The Celtic club were then beaten in the Champions League by Legia .