Brendan Rodgers was all smiles as Celtic booked their spot in the League Cup final with a resounding 6-0 win over Aberdeen at Hampden Park.
Yet, beneath the surface, the Celtic manager’s frustration simmered over his team’s occasional lapses in precision.
Despite the comfortable victory, Rodgers couldn’t ignore what he termed as “loose” passing, an area he believes could cost Celtic dearly on the Champions League stage.
A moment that encapsulated his frustration was his own slip and subsequent yellow card after kicking a stray ball, a reaction that Rodgers later admitted reflected his concern over Celtic’s passing complacency.
While the Hoops may get away with minor mistakes in domestic play, Rodgers warned that the same leniency won’t apply in the Champions League, where accuracy and speed on the ball are essential.
Rodgers made his message to the players clear on Celtic TV: “That’s the link to me getting booked at the weekend. As I said to the players, I’m always thinking about the bigger picture. If you’re loose with your passing domestically, we might not get punished. But at this level, you will do. So be clean, be precise, play with speed on the ball.”
As Celtic prepares for a crucial Champions League clash against RB Leipzig, Rodgers has stressed the importance of tightening up their game, urging the squad to elevate their play and refine their passing.
They’re coming up against a team that will punish any mistake that Celtic makes, just like what happened in Dortmund.
Boasting the best defence in Germany too, breaking them down will be challenging for the Hoops.
