Brendan Rodgers has admitted Celtic’s Champions League exit is a significant setback and described the club’s failure to reach the league phase as a “huge blow” following their shootout defeat to Kairat Almaty.
Celtic failed to score over 210 minutes of football, despite several late chances in Almaty. The result leaves Rodgers and his squad facing a familiar scenario, with another season of Thursday night European football ahead. While the Europa League still offers a platform, the Celtic boss made it clear the club’s ambition remains at the highest level.
Rodgers, speaking after the match, reflected on the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League after progress made last season. He acknowledged the efforts of his players but stressed the magnitude of the opportunity lost.
With the draw for the Europa League looming, attention will quickly turn to how Celtic respond from here. Domestic fixtures resume this weekend, but the bruises from a major European setback will take time to fade.
He said: (Amazon Prime Video Sport), “It’s bitterly disappointing because we were on the right track last season, working very well and playing really good football. To not be in there this season, it’s a huge blow for us.
“I think we all know the consequence. If you don’t win the tie, then you drop into the Europa League. So we want to be in the Champions League, but we aren’t.
“So the Europa League’s still a prestigious tournament, but we missed a massive opportunity here over these two games.
“It is a long journey. You’d rather be travelling and having won the game, but we haven’t.”
Rodgers’ words make clear the frustration within the dressing room. After showing promise on the European stage last year, the regression will sting both supporters and players alike.
For a squad expected to build on recent campaigns, this represents a backwards step. The timing of the disappointment makes it all the more stark, with a huge league clash against Rangers at Ibrox looming this Sunday.
The Irishman now faces the task of lifting his side for a demanding run of fixtures across three fronts. With transfer business still to be done before the window closes, focus may shift quickly to ensuring Celtic are better equipped for continental competition. But before any of that, Rodgers must find a way to reset his squad mentally and physically ahead of the season’s first derby.
The Europa League still offers valuable experience and competition, but it’s a far cry from the platform Celtic were aiming for.
Rodgers will be judged on how his team responds to this setback and whether they can make a meaningful run in Europe’s secondary tournament. Progress is still possible, but the tone has already been set by this early failure.
For now, the pain of missed chances and what might have been will linger. The challenge, once again, is to regroup, refocus, and make something of a European campaign that already feels like a consolation. Sunday’s trip to Govan offers a chance to shift the mood, but it will take a major performance to erase the sting of Almaty.
