Celtic host Rosenborg in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round on Wednesday.

Ahead of the first leg at Celtic Park, STV offers the lowdown on the Norwegian champions.

History

Rosenborg Ballklub, simply known as Rosenborg, are Norway's most successful club side having won a record 24 league titles, 11 Norwegian Football Cups and made more appearances in UEFA competitions than any other side from the country.

The club became a regular feature in European football's premier competition at the turn of the century - enjoying an 11-year run in the Champions League from 1995-2006 - and developed a reputation as something of a potential banana skin for Europe's elite after pulling off a series of upsets.

In 1996, they reached the Champions League quarter-finals after defeating Serie A giants AC Milan, while in 2007 a battling 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge culminated in the sacking of then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

What is their nickname?

Troillongan, which translates as "the Troll Children".

Where do they play?

Rosenborg play their home games at the 21,400-capacity all-seater Lerkendal Stadion in the city of Trondheim, in central Norway.

How are they doing just now?

Rosenborg sit two points behind leaders Brann in the Norwegian top flight, and have won nine of their last 13 games, but their preparations for this tie have been thrown into chaos.

Six days before the club face Celtic they sacked manager Kare Ingebrigtsen.

The 52-year-old was dismissed after his side required a stoppage-time penalty to go through with a 3-2 aggregate win over Icelandic champions Valur in the first qualifying-round.

The decision angered both players and fans alike as Ingebrigtsen was a popular figure in Trondheim having won three successive league titles as well as lifting the Norwegian Cup twice since his appointment in 2014.

He had previously enjoyed a spell as assistant manager and made more than 150 appearances for the club as a player.

Who's in charge now?

Academy director Rini Coolen has been placed in interim charge of the side and will oversee the Celtic clashes.

The Dutchman has some managerial experience, having bossed Twente Enschede for two years before stints in charge in the Dutch lower leagues, Australia and the Aruba national team before moving to Rosenborg.

Bizarrely, Coolen lasted just six weeks in the Aruba job after losing three of his four games to St Vincent and Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.

That was his last job as a manager, before he took roles as an academy boss at homeland side PEC Zwolle and then Al Shabab in Dubai, before taking on the same role at Rosenborg.

Celtic v Rosenborg: Head-to-head

The two sides met last year in the third round of qualifying for the Champions League.

After a goalless draw at Parkhead, James Forrest netted in the return leg to eliminate the Norwegians.

The teams have also met before in the group stage of the competition in 2001/02.

Celtic won the first encounter 1-0 at Celtic Park thanks to a strike by Alan Thompson, with Rosenborg exacting revenge when they secured a 2-0 victory two weeks later in Norway.

Key players

After Celtic knocked them out of the Champions League last year, the Norwegians recruited Nigerian winger Samuel Adegbenro from rivals Viking.

His threat was immediately revealed as two days later he scored on his debut to secure Rosenborg a 1-0 away win over Ajax in the first leg of the Europa League play-off. One week later, Adegbenro netted a double to make it 4-2 on aggregate and book his side a place in the Europa group stages.

In midfield, club captain and Danish international Mike Jensen runs the show, and is capable of chipping in with both goals and assists.

The much-maligned Nicklas Bendtner, formerly of Arsenal and Juventus, leads the line, with his 6ft 3in frame making him an awkward customer to deal with in the air.

Never short of self-belief, the Danish striker said in 2009 he would be the top goalscorer at the World Cup and among the world's top players within five years but struggled to live up to his own lofty billing as his career stagnated.

Players to have played for both clubs

Celtic full-back Mikel Lustig will offer manager Brendan Rodgers the inside track on their next European opponents, having turned out 95 times in Rosenborg's white and black colours over four seasons.

During a successful stint in Norway, Lustig won the league twice and Norwegian Cup once, while also becoming a regular with the senior Swedish side. He joined Celtic on a pre-contract in January 2012.

Another former Rosenborg star now donning the Hoops is Cristian Gamboa, who after a successful loan spell in 2012 signed a five-year deal with the Trondheim outfit.

The Costa Rican made 30 appearances for Rosenborg, during which time he caught the eye of Premier League side West Bromwich Albion who shelled out £2m to secure his services.

Ex-Celtic midfielder Liam Henderson once enjoyed a trophy-laden short term loan spell with Rosenborg.

Over the course of 13 appearances in Norway the 22-year-old impressed many and did enough to attain a league and cup winners medal.

But perhaps the most renowned name to have turned out in both club's colours is Harald Brattbakk. The Trondheim native became a club icon at his local club after scoring 97 goals in 100 games during his first spell before departing for Celtic. He failed to carry such exceptional form in front of goal into Scottish football, but did score the goal that clinched the 1998 SPL title as Celtic prevented their rivals Rangers from making it ten-in-a-row.

Famous former players

Other notable names to have played for Rosenborg include towering forward John Carew, who went on to turn out for Aston Villa and Valencia, former Blackburn Rovers winger Morton Gamst Pedersen and ex-Spurs man Stefan Iversen.