Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers is assured his facet can “make it tough” for both Bayern Munich or Actual Madrid within the Champions League play-off spherical, however admits will probably be a “enormous problem”.
The Scottish champions completed the competitors’s inaugural league section in twenty first place after a 4-2 loss towards Aston Villa, and can uncover whether or not they face both Bayern or Actual when the draw for the knockout phases takes place on Friday.
Celtic earned wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig and Younger Boys, along with attracts towards Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb and Membership Brugge, and Rodgers says they absolutely deserve their spot within the play-offs.
“We now have certified on benefit and confirmed high quality on the way in which,” he mentioned. “It is what the gamers deserve for what they’ve given over the course of the eight video games.
“We all know it is both Bayern Munich or Actual Madrid within the subsequent spherical, in order that’ll be an enormous problem. We’re constructing confidence and displaying we’re a group that may play and make it tough for the highest groups.
“Whoever we play are clearly top-level groups.”
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton praised Rodgers’ facet’s “maturity” all through this season’s marketing campaign, and agrees the Parkhead membership are worthy of a play-off spot.
After a crushing 7-1 defeat by Borussia Dortmund on matchday two, Celtic’s possibilities had been written off by pundits, however Villa had been the one different group to beat them as they recovered nicely from their dismal journey to Germany.
“I’ve been pleasantly stunned by them on this Champions League marketing campaign,” Sutton mentioned on BBC Radio 5 stay. “They’ve proven maturity and that they’ve made progress.
“There is no such thing as a doubt that Celtic will go right into a tie with both Actual Madrid or Bayern Munich as large underdogs, however they’ve earned the best to be within the play-offs.”
‘We confirmed a lot braveness’
That is the primary time Celtic have reached the knockout phases of the Champions League since 2013, as they benefitted from the broader vary of groups they performed within the new format.
Rodgers himself is a fan, and says Celtic’s development is proof Scottish sides can compete on Europe’s largest stage.
“I’ve actually loved it,” he mentioned. “I am fairly certain there would have been a degree of pleasure tonight with who you would possibly get. I’ve loved the variance of the video games.
“Scotland will get a wee little bit of stick in its soccer. You’ll be able to clearly see now we have groups who’ve braveness to play. We’re nowhere close to the useful resource ranges of groups within the Premier League, however we will nonetheless be aggressive.”
The primary-half at Villa Park was proof of that.
Morgan Rogers early double despatched the well-known outdated floor into ecstasy and recollections of the Dortmund drubbing had been dropped at thoughts.
Nonetheless, Celtic weathered the storm and drew degree by two Adam Idah objectives off the again of some fantastic build-up play.
The hosts’ high quality shone by after the break, however Celtic gave them a recreation. Certainly, they had been the one facet to attain at Villa Park within the league section.
“Celtic caught at it and it’s a must to give them credit score,” former Scotland ahead James McFadden mentioned on Sportsound.
“They caught to it and put all the things into it. They’ll take some confidence from it as a result of at instances they seemed good.”
Rodgers was effusive in his reward for the way in which his gamers went toe-to-toe with Villa at factors.
“The phrase that strikes me is delight,” he mentioned.
“We’re coming to a group that during the last couple of years have been on the highest degree within the Premier League. We performed with a lot braveness.
“We scored two superb objectives, and general to take the sport to harm time was an excellent effort. We’re dissatisfied to lose however we performed our half in a superb recreation.
“That was at all times the target, to return in and be aggressive at this degree.”
