Brendan Rodgers spoke to the media yesterday afternoon ahead of his team’s do-or-die clash with Atletico Madrid tomorrow evening in Glasgow’s East End. The Irishman has things under control once again domestically but is itching to take his first major scalp in European football with a team he has now managed on two separate occasions.
Undoubtedly, Celtic are facing an uphill task in even trying to just get into the Europa League knockouts by finishing third in the Group E section of this year’s UEFA Champions League group stages; having lost twice already to Feyenoord and Lazio respectively. However, there is still four games left to try and secure some form of knockout football after Christmas and into the New Year. There were promising signs in both games and if the Hoops can build on that, they may be able to take something against Diego Simeone’s very astute and experienced team.
It’s always difficult when you come up against this pedigree and elite level of player in European competition, as Scottish football is another universe away in terms of what Celtic face on a consistent basis. Many have been at pains to point this out regularly over the years when we haven’t managed to win against any home games for a decade now. But if we are to break the trend then we have to start somewhere, and tomorrow presents the perfect opportunity to showcase that this squad is different to all the others that have come before it.
Manager, Brendan Rodgers, has insisted he is looking forward to the game and revealed his anticipation of another electric atmosphere inside a ground that has been severely starved of big name wins for some years now. Ahead of the match, the 50-year-old said: “We know tomorrow the stadium will be on fire. It will be an amazing atmosphere for us to be a part of. It’s a fantastic team that we’re playing against. One of the best in the world. But we don’t have to be the best team in the world to win.
It’s been a hard watch over the years as we’ve had to decline from the halcyon days where beating the likes of Manchester United, Barcelona and AC Milan happened on a recurring basis. The Celtic Faithful are patient as always and understand that financially, the resource landscape is as vast as it’s ever been. A microcosm of society, football is all about the haves, and have-nots.
That does not mean we should shirk our responsibility to the badge and history of this great club though. Rodgers has revealed how that cycle can be broken against Atelti tomorrow. He said: “We just need to educate our pressure, play well and ride your luck a little bit as well. But hopefully everything will combine. With the supporters we can have a great night and certainly we’ll be giving everything to get the result we want.”
Paul Gillespie
