BRENDAN RODGERS is aiming for happy returns to Parkhead tomorrow night for the crucial Champions League encounter against RB Leipzig after back-to-back away games in Germany and Italy.
Celtic kicked off the new-look set-up in Europe’s most prestigious tournament with a thrilling 5-1 win over Slovan Bratsilava in Glasgow.
However, the two matches on the team’s travels brought a stark contrast in fortunes as the Hoops were thrashed 7-1 by Borussia in Dortmund, but fought out a superb scoreless stalemate against Atalanta in Bergamo.
Now Rodgers’ men face their second challenge from the Bundesliga in the elite competition as RB Leipzig arrive desperate for a victory after losing their first three games in the competition all by the odd goal.
FLASHBACK…Brendan Rodgers acknowledges the fans after Celtic’s 2-1 win over RB Leipzig at Parkhead in November 2018.
The Celtic boss said: “RB Leipzig, like Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund, are a top team right towards the top of their league.
“They have everything you would want in a top European side – speed, strength, power, technique.
“It’s a brilliant challenge for us and we’re really looking forward to it. On the back of a really good result in Atalanta, we’re at home and we’re really excited by that.
“It’ll be a full house and we’ll look to bring our energy to the game.
“However, we also know that we’ll have to defend for good periods of the game, as well, with the concentration and commitment that we showed against Atalanta.”
Rodgers expects the fans to once again play an important role under the lights in the east end of Glasgow and, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “We all know here that when you want the result, the supporters can bring you closer to that.
“I think that intensity will be needed, the noise and what it generates here is absolutely incredible.
“We’ll also need that little bit of patience, as well. I’m sure the crowd will get right behind the players and, hopefully, can push us to a result”
I’LL DRINK TO THAT…Brendan Rodgers takes a break in between answering questions at the media conference at Parkhead.
This will be the third time Rodgers has played the German team in European competition, winning one and losing one.
The brilliant 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig at Parkhead in November 2018 is still fresh in the Irishman’s memory. Kieran Tierney opened the scoring, but the visitors wiped that out in the second-half.
Astoundingly, only 14 SECONDS after the German club’s equaliser, Odsonne Edouard fired in the winner in a dramatic Europa League confrontation.
Rodgers added: “To win a game at this level, you have to bring your A-game to it and I thought that night we were excellent.
“The intensity of our game, the pressure we had and, of course, you also have to ride your luck at times, that’s the level.
“But I thought our intensity, pressing and football was very good on that evening and at this level, you have to be near on perfect to get a result.”
