Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers thinks fans’ disappointment with a draw away to Dinamo Zagreb this evening shows how far the Hoops have progressed in Europe recently.

It was a dull affair in the Croatian capital, with the Bhoys registering a solitary shot on target throughout the match.

While a point and clean sheet away from home in the UEFA Champions League cannot be sniffed at, the way the game unfolded, how Celtic played, and Dinamo’s injury crisis makes supporters feel slightly disappointed at their team’s failure to pick up a victory.

Boss Rodgers, however, took a more constructive stance after the game, arguing that his side’s sense of regret at the draw shows how far they have come recently: “We had great energy and good commitment,” he said (BBC).

“In the Champions League, if you get a clean sheet and take a point away from home and you’re not very happy, that shows how the team has progressed.”

In addition to discussing his team’s development, the Irishman described how ‘positive’ it was that the Celts were defensively sound at the Stadion Maksimir.

He said: “The positive is we’ve come away from the game defensively strong and didn’t concede.

“I thought we lacked quality in the final third. The pitch was a little bit tricky.”

The Bhoys struggled going forward this evening, mustering a solitary shot on target throughout the 90, which came from substitute Luke McCowan. If Arne Engels’ cross hadn’t been stopped by some top-class defending, the visitors might’ve had another opportunity. Aside from said chances, however, Rodgers’ men did next to nothing going forward. 

They will need to up their game going into this Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers, which is arguably the biggest game in Scottish football so far this season.