Brendan Rodgers has made big changes to Celtic’s team for their second Como Cup game, just two days after the 5-1 defeat to Ajax.

Celtic had a hard night on Thursday, with the Dutch side scoring freely as tired legs and mistakes took their toll late on.

With only a short rest, Rodgers has picked a brand new starting eleven to help spread the workload and get more players match ready.

The full rotation shows Rodgers is using this part of pre-season to build fitness and deal with the quick turnaround against strong teams.

He said: (Celtic TV), “We’ve changed the team.

“Obviously, playing Thursday and then playing again tonight, we have to change the team around.

“It’s going to be great fitness for the players, and of course, you always want to win.

“I think the game the other night was the third of three tough games. We looked a little bit leggy by the end of it, but that’s good, that’s why you have this period of the season. And that’s why you’ve got to just keep pushing through that. It’s the same tonight.”

Rodgers’ decision to rotate so heavily offers a fresh opportunity for players further down the pecking order to make an impression.

Pre-season is rarely judged on results alone, and while the score line against Ajax raised eyebrows, the bigger picture for Rodgers is about conditioning and sharpening up his squad ahead of next week’s Premiership kick-off.

Celtic’s congested friendly schedule has been a stern test of squad depth, but it’s also allowed the Irishman to assess combinations and give minutes to a wider pool of players.

Tonight’s match, coming so swiftly after the Ajax defeat, offers a different kind of challenge, but also a vital step in the team’s overall pre-season progression.