Brendan Rodgers has discussed the lessons he has learned from earlier games this season in the Champions League at Celtic Park.
With Celtic winning two of their three European games at Paradise so far this season, and the other a draw against Belgian Pro League champions Club Brugge, the Hoops’ home form has been as strong as ever, a throwback to the glory days in Europe.
However, with the Brugge game in November seen as a real chance to seal a place in the knockout playoffs, Celtic have drawn their last two Champions League games, home and away.
With Brugge taking the lead through an uncharacteristic Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal into an empty net, Jan Breydel’s side shocked Celtic with how aggressively they pressed in the 1-1 draw, in a game that many believed the Hoops would win after defeating RB Leipzig 3-1 the matchday before.
A 0-0 draw against Dinamo Zagreb in Zagreb would follow, and tomorrow night’s match at Celtic Park against Young Boys presents a chance to finally seal a spot in the top 24 and progress to the next round.
With Rodgers revealing what he learned from the Brugge game in particular.
He told Celtsarehere: “I think what is important is that, the classic example is the Brugge game, probably the feeling can be that you’re playing Red Bull Leipzig, so you may be feeling a little bit of the underdog, so there’s that push to get you over the line.
“We can’t not think it’s any different just because we’re playing Young Boys. We saw with Brugge that they have a very, very good side, more experience in the Champions League than ourselves in recent history, and had some very good players.”
Rodgers is spot on. In recent years, Young Boys have gained more European experience, and given Celtic’s mixed record in the Champions League over the last decade, it is right not to take anything for granted tomorrow night against a team that has been heavily underrated by some in the media.
Young Boys haven’t been at their best this season, however, it’s clear that Celtic will need to be at their best if they want to stand any chance of winning the game and sealing a place in the Champions League playoff knockout stages. Rodgers himself is taking nothing for granted.
