Brendan Rodgers has made it clear there’s no hiding place for Celtic tonight. The Hoops face Kairat Almaty with Champions League qualification, and a huge financial boost, on the line. After a frustrating first leg, Rodgers knows the Hoops must raise the tempo from the very start.

The Irishman cut a focused but optimistic figure in his pre-match interview. He admitted Celtic should already hold an advantage in the tie but stressed that the challenge now comes down to one night, one performance.

Selection decisions were forced upon him. Alistair Johnston’s injury means Tony Ralston is drafted in at right-back, while up front Daizen Maeda takes the central role with Adam Idah only fit enough for the bench. Rodgers leaned on experience and energy in his reasoning.

Above all, the Irishman pushed belief. He wants the Bhoys to embrace the pressure, find their rhythm early, and let their football do the talking. That was his message going into the biggest game of Celtic’s season so far.

He said: (Amazon Prime Video Sport), “We should have had an advantage in the first leg, but it’s all on tonight and that’s what excites me.

“Tony coming in, he’s experienced, he’s an international player, so he’s dealt with situations like this before and played in big games for Celtic.

“Adam hasn’t trained up until yesterday, so he’s a good one to bring off the bench if needed. And Daizen gives us that real speed in pressing and in our attack.

“We just have to really focus on our effort in the game from the first whistle, believe in ourselves, make sure we stay calm, focused in the game and then our football.

“Tonight I’m really looking forward to seeing us take the pressure, embrace it and play the type of football that we can play. If we do that, then we’ll have a great chance of winning the game.”

Rodgers’ message will hit home with fans who saw a poor showing in Almaty last week. Support has been stretched, with “sack the board” ringing out at Celtic Park, and tonight’s game is a chance to quiet some of that anger.

Injuries haven’t helped, but excuses won’t cut it. Ralston has stepped up before, Maeda is eager to make his mark, and the whole squad knows exactly what’s on the line. Champions League football is a stage Celtic can’t afford to miss.

It’s bigger than the cash boost too. Rodgers spoke about belief, composure, and sticking to Celtic’s style. If the players put that into practice, Parkhead could be rocking by the final whistle with Europe secured.

Bottom line, this is the night for Rodgers and his side to show up. All or nothing. Win and Celtic are back among the elite. Lose, and the backlash will be brutal.