“With the energy and the support, anything is possible in the game,” Brendan Rodgers

Q: On the wider game tomorrow, how much of a gauge is this of the progress that you’ve made? You’re there on merit, it’s going to be arguably your biggest test out of the season. How much of a test is it and a gauge of all the progress that you’ve made at this level in Europe?

Brendan Rodgers: “I don’t think it’s a gauge, I think we’ve already shown progress this season before we kick a ball tomorrow night. I’ve been very pleased with that side of it. I think over the course of the eight games we’ve played Borussia Dortmund top team, Atalanta top team, RB Leipzig came into the tournament as one of the leading teams. So we’ve proven in this first season that there are elements to our game that are making progress. But of course we were in it for the purpose and the purpose was to get to this stage past the eight games. So now we play probably one of the teams that will see themselves as favourites for the competition.

“They’ve got wonderful talent, Vincent Kompany’s gone in there and done a really, really good job with some top young players and some really experienced players. But I can’t wait for that because that’s what you look forward to as a coach. I know we are all as a team looking to test ourselves and measure ourselves against an absolutely brilliant team.”

Q: Brendan, we all know it’s been a long time coming for Celtic to play these knockout European ties. How excited are you to see the atmosphere here tomorrow night and how big a sense of pride will you have leading your team out here against a team that is in this competition to win it?

Brendan Rodgers: “They’re one of the giants of the European game. They really are football royalty in terms of what they’ve achieved over many, many years at this level. So for us to be in a position where we can challenge them is a great marker for us. I know with our game, we mix up the basics of our game, our running power and physicality, which is something that we’ve really improved on at this level.

“When I look back to 2023/24, that’s been a big part of our learning, bringing the physicality to the game and improving in that aspect. I think if we can do that and with the energy and the support behind it, then anything is possible in the game. I think what is important for us is that we’re very much alive in the tie going over to Germany. I think that would be the key message for us. We want to go and perform. We’re not frightened to lose. That’s not what this is about, this is about going and performing. If we can perform well, like we’ve shown in this competition, especially at home, hopefully we can get what we deserve.”

Q: Just on that, how important is it to your players that they’re not necessarily going out there just to be alive in seven days’ time? They’re going out there to try and win the game, take the game to Bayern Munich here at home?

Brendan Rodgers:  “That’s virtually what I said.”

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