PATRICK ROBERTS insists there is no European exit hangover at Celtic after the midweek loss to Barcelona.
And the on-loan winger is determined to make an impact if he gets the nod to play against his parent club Manchester City in the remaining Champions League fixture on December 6.
Brendan Rodgers’ side will be at the Etihad playing for little more than pride, but the young Englishman is eager to be part of it.
He said: “Of course, I want to be playing. Everyone does. It is disappointing that we won’t have any European football for the rest of the season, but I think we have learned a lot as a team from our experience this year.
“It was always going to be a massive ask from the minute the draw was made and we saw ourselves in there with what was one of the hardest groups that we could have got.
“But there is one game left to go and I would still like to be involved. It isn’t just because of the connection with City, but also because I want to play football.
“We will see what happens. It is obviously up to the manager what team he wants to go with, but all I can do is concentrate on getting my head down at Lennoxtown on the training ground and hope that I can do enough to get myself in there.”
The Hoops showed their best form of the tournament when they gained a 3-3 draw with Pep Guardiola’s side, but it could have been so much more after leading three times.
Roberts came off the bench that night and he is keen to have a more significant part as the curtain comes down on the European adventure.
He is due to return to City at the end of this season and he wants to say farewell on a high.
The lively, entertaining winger said: “I speak to the manager all the time and he has been brilliant with me. I haven’t asked him specifically about not playing because I don’t have to.
“I know what I have to do and that means taking the chance when I get it to try and impress and stay in the team. I want to be involved and be playing every week, but at a club like this there is always going to be competition for places.
“There is a lot of football to be played and I just want to have a part. We’ll see how it goes, but, hopefully, I can get the chance to show what I can do.”
The champions have the chance to claim the first piece of silverware on offer this season when they play Aberdeen in the Betfred League Cup Final at Hampden on Sunday.
Roberts added: “It seems a bit weird to be getting the chance of a trophy in November, not that we’re complaining. It is a great chance to go out and put a foot in the right direction.
“Aberdeen will look to make it difficult for us, but it would be nice to go there and win it. It is a great day for us and a great day for the fans and, hopefully, we can go and get the result that we want.
“We have had a bit of time to prepare for it and get ourselves into the right frame of mind. The manager will have us well organised and there’s no way we’ll still be thinking about the Champions League.
“It is all about the domestic season now and we want to be as successful as possible.”
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