Brendan Rodgers insists he wants footballing royalty Bayern Munich to hurt in the cauldron of Celtic Park.
The Parkhead boss knows the reputation of Glasgow’s East End. He knows the anticipation of visiting teams to taste the arena. It might be on some Euro bucket-lists, but Rodgers isn’t interested in it being some box-ticking exercise for opposition. The atmosphere never changes, but outcomes have since the manager’s return.
Since agonisingly losing in injury-time to Lazio last term, Celtic are now six games without defeat at home in the Champions League with four wins. Rodgers’ teams and the fans have unified to make it painful for opponents recently and that combination makes him feel like anything is possible. The boss said: “It’s not just a tick-box exercise for players to come and say they’ve played at Celtic Park. You want them to hurt in this arena as well and you want them to find the challenges of that combination between the supporters and the players on the pitch, making it a really, really, really difficult night.
“Bayern Munich are 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, it’s a great marker for us. I know with our game that we mix up the basics, all our running power and physicality, which is something that we’ve really improved on at this level.
“I think if we can do that with the energy and the support behind us then anything is possible in the game. I go back to the Young Boys’ game here. I thought when it could have got a little bit nervy in the last 15 minutes, the supporters were amazing.
“They sensed it, and they really got behind the team and lifted the team. So that side is very important. It’s great. It’s where I wanted to take the club back to where we came here.
“I think what is important for us is that we’re very much alive in the tie going over to Germany. That would be the key message for us. But 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 and if we can perform well, like we’ve shown in this competition, especially at home, hopefully we can get what we deserve.
“I don’t think it’s a gauge. I think we’ve already shown progress this season before we kick a ball.
“I think over the course of the eight games we’ve played Borussia Dortmund, top team. Atalanta, top team, Red Bull Leipzig. who have come into the tournament as one of the leading teams.
“So we’ve proven in this first season that we’re 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. Now we play probably one of the teams that will see themselves as favourites for the competition.
“They’ve got wonderful talent. Vincent [Kompany] has done a 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 and I know we are all as a team looking to test and measure ourselves against an absolutely brilliant team.”
Rodgers has barometers. During his first spell, his Celtic side lost 2-1 at home to the Germans and he recalled: “I thought we played well. We went behind and then we played well and then we got back into the game at 1-1. Sadly, we didn’t keep the game long enough at that scoreline.
“But it was a competitive game and I think that’s been a joy for me to have seen us develop and progress at that level where we are competitive. So I’d expect it to be that.”
The belief in competitiveness comes from the manner in which RB Leipzig were dispatched earlier in this season’s competition, Rodgers added: “We’ll certainly have to get the same level of that. When I look at everything, we played the game technically and tactically at a really high level.
“Our mindset was also really good in the game, so having started well and then actually going behind in the game, how we responded, I was impressed by that. The big steps we’ve made this season have been in the physical demands of the game, because at this level, it’s absolutely critical. That pleased me. So yeah, the game was really good, and we will have to get to those levels again.
”It’s exactly the same in every single game, whether that’s Raith Rovers or Bayern Munich or whatever. You always have to respect the opposition and what their strengths are. So, how can you contain them?
“We want to always play like a big team and we want to impose our way. Of course, that is very, very important for us. But it’s balanced.
“I always think we defend well, we pass well. Thankfully, these players have been so, so good in that aspect from a defensive perspective and that has given us the platform to play some great football in all the competitions.
“So, it will be the balance of the game between pressing and then bringing our creativity. That’s our game identity. It’s very much about the connection in the team.”