RONNY DEILA refused to get into a war of words with Malmo 'keeper Johan Wiland after he accused Celtic of acting like "pigs" and children in their Champions League play-off tie.
The Hoops boss has also refuted the claim of the Swedish club's boss Age Hareide that the Scottish champions "do not have the legs for 90 minutes". Wiland made the comments after Malmo were beaten 3-2 by Celtic in the first leg of their Champions League play-off encounter at Parkhead on Wednesday night.
The 34-year-old keeper said: "They are pigs, everybody, that's it."
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths netted two goals but did not impress Wiland, who said: "Griffiths is, I do not know what to say. He behaves like a child."
Celtic manager Deila revealed the hamstring injury Mikael Lustig picked up during the game was not as serious as first thought, which leaves him with a chance for the return game in Malmo next Tuesday night. However, ahead of the trip to Dundee United in the Ladbrokes Premiership on Saturday lunchtime, Deila was not keen to respond to the "pigs" comment which, reportedly, Wiland has subsequently tried to soften.
"We can't go to that level, that is not Celtic," said the Norwegian.
"It is up to them to say whatever they want. I watched the game one more time and I didn't see any trouble. It was a fair game and, as far as I remember, we won 3-2. That was a result that we are happy with and we have a good opportunity to go through in Malmo."
Deila, with some humour, shrugged off Hareide's fitness analysis and reminded his fellow Norwegian that Celtic had won the first leg.
The former Stromsgodset boss said: "It is not anything new for him. It is up to him what he says.
"He is a funny guy, this is funny. I have seen it before and I also have to say that I don't think we lost the game. It seems like they have won three or four zero when he talks.
"I don't see the tiredness. I don't think we seemed tired against Qarabag [in the previous round]. Every game has different things in it.
"We were disappointed that we conceded in the last second, but we won and we have a good opportunity on Tuesday."
Winger Gary Mackay-Steven, who returns to his former club on Saturday, admits the comments coming out of the Malmo camp caused him raise his eyebrows.
He said: "They are possibly trying to get a reaction, but I don't think it will work.
"I don't see how there's any substance to that [fitness] comment. We lost a late goal, so maybe he is referring to that, but that's down to defensive errors on our part, not due to fitness.
"We'll just keep quiet and do our talking on our park. If we go out with all guns blazing like last time, then there's every reason to believe we'll get a positive result."
Deila is looking for a win at Tannadice to take to Sweden next week.
He said: "We want to win tomorrow, that is important.
"Dundee United is always a tough place to go and we have to be really prepared for the game but we will be ready."
Celts striker Nadir Ciftci will serve the fifth of a six-game domestic ban against his former club.
