Celtic are not approaching this season’s expanded Champions League campaign merely to make up the numbers.
In a thrilling new format, the Hoops are set to face Slovan Bratislava, Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, RB Leipzig, Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, Young Boys, and Aston Villa.
The eight-game fixture list has sparked widespread excitement among fans, with many anticipating a fiercely competitive group stage from start to finish.
Celtic supporters are acutely aware that the club has not progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League in over a decade. However, Brendan Rodgers is determined to end that barren run this season and take Celtic back to Europe’s elite.
The Celtic boss has been vocal about his ambitions on the European stage. Speaking to Celtic TV this week, Rodgers said, “All of the games will be great experiences for us and games where we can measure ourselves at this level.”
He continued, “The club has done great work in the market, which has given us strength. We can now put ourselves to the test in these games. At the end, we can really push ourselves to see if we can be one of the teams that makes it to the playoffs. We’ll do everything we can.”
Rodgers’ confidence in his squad is clear, and he has vowed to approach every match with positivity.
“We’ll be very positive in how we act. We knew that going into the season, and we practised for it. There will be games where we just have to handle that, and it might look a little different for us. But our goal is to always make things hard for the other team.”
Rodgers concluded by saying, “That’s what we always say. All the way through the game, with and without the ball, while giving our all and giving up everything to attack and protect with everything we have. I’m really excited about that because that’s what the Champions League will make us do. I can’t wait for it to begin.”
It’s clear Rodgers is ready for the challenge ahead, and fans will hope that this is the year Celtic finally make their mark in Europe once more.