Paris St-Germain 7-1 Celtic: James Forrest - We are still on course for Europa League

James Forrest, employed as a wing-back, had to contend with Brazilian star Neymar

Celtic winger James Forrest insists they are still on course to achieve their main aim in Europe - despite a 7-1 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain.

The Scottish champions will clinch a place in the Europa League provided they don't lose by three goals at home against Anderlecht on 5 December.

But after an earlier 5-0 home defeat by PSG, Forrest admits their latest French lesson was a sobering experience.

"No professional wants to get beaten and let in seven goals," he said.

"But we'll try and take the positives out of it. We just need to learn from this.

"It's tough. It's a different experience (to dominating games in Scotland) and I think you can learn as a team. If you give the ball away, you don't see it for five to 10 minutes sometimes and it's difficult.

"We've got one more massive game against Anderlecht and our goal was to be in Europe after Christmas, so we're still on course to do that. We just need one last push now for that game at home."

PSG 'the best I've ever played against'

Forrest believes PSG are the "best team in the world", a sentiment echoed by team-mate Craig Gordon, who endured a torrid night in goal.

"That's probably the best I've ever seen playing football, and definitely the best team I've ever played against," Gordon told BBC Scotland.

"We have to take it - they were very clinical, the chances they created were good chances and the qualify of finishing on show was very good. It's going to take some team to beat them.

"At times we did alright, we created some good passing moves and a couple of chances. We weren't quite as clinical as they were so I think there were elements of the game we did well in, but we also gave away a few silly goals."

Craig Gordon could only watch helplessly as PSG ran amok in Paris

Given the quality of the sides in their group, Gordon also believes finishing third and reaching the Europa League round of 32, which takes place in February, would be an "excellent" achievement.

"Looking at PSG and Bayern Munich, it was always going to be a massive task to try and get anywhere near their points tally in this group," he said.

"Don't forget, we came into this in pot four, so if we can get out of this in third place, then we've achieved better than what we went into the group. So I don't think we should be too despondent in that."

Celtic captain Scott Brown believes it was "always going to be hard" facing PSG with their wealth of talent, but admits to being thoroughly impressed.

"I've played against Barcelona in their prime but they've (PSG) got pace everywhere, they're creative; every attack they look like they can go forward and score a goal. That's what you get when you pay the top-quality money," he said.

Brown (right) was part of a Celtic midfield overrun by their Parisian counterparts

"If they don't win it, there's something wrong. They played phenomenal against us over both legs and we have struggled, but it's a learning process for us."

While Brown is relieved that sealing third spot in the group and a Europa League place is "in their own hands", the more immediate priority is Sunday's Scottish League Cup final against Motherwell.

"It's about how you bounce back, and for us we've got a huge game on Sunday," he added.

"We need to make sure we go full steam ahead on Sunday and hopefully lift that cup at the end of it."

Gordon insists it won't be hard to recover from their Parisian hiding as they prepare to face a buoyant Motherwell side.

"It's a cup final so that won't be a problem," added the Scotland goalkeeper.

"We'll take stock over the next few days and we'll recover from the game and get back into training. There's no need to lift us for anything - it's a cup final, we want to go and try and win it."