Brendan Rodgers last night urged his Celtic players to believe that they can still mix it with Europe’s best in the Champions League.
Thrashed 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund on their last continental outing, the Scottish champions suffered a hammer blow before tonight’s clash with Europa League winners Atalanta when key defender Cameron Carter-Vickers failed a late fitness test and missed the flight to Italy.
Describing the Dortmund result as an ‘assault on the spirit’, Rodgers urged his players to exhibit the conviction and confidence needed to go up against the best teams on the continent.
‘As a football player, you don’t want to be sat in a changing room and feeling that again,’ said the Celtic boss. ‘That’s something that the players know themselves. But I always say that this is a level of belief.
‘These are belief games. You have to go into these and really believe that you can get the result. It might not always go your way, but you certainly have to go in with that belief.
‘I just think in the Dortmund game, there were things that went against us very early on in the game. Then the quality and the confidence takes over. Then you end up on the back of a really heavy scoreline.
Rodgers insists it is important his team really believe they can take points on their travels
Celtic crashed back to earth with a bump in Dortmund after their opening win over Bratislava
Carter-Vickers trained at Lennoxtown this week but wasn't fit enough to make the flight to Italy
‘Like I said, that’s on me. But we hope to learn from that. That’s the key.
‘This is the long game here in Europe in terms of what we’re trying to achieve. Not just this season, but going forward.
‘That was one of the big reasons to come back, to show that we can make that progress. That isn’t something that happens in one game or two games.
‘We all do not want to have that feeling that we experienced after Dortmund. It’s an emotionally gutted feeling after a result like that. But this is a team whose spirit and togetherness is so strong.
‘For us, it’s about that tactical discipline, having that togetherness and having that belief in your quality.
‘If you have that, you’ll always be in with an opportunity to get a result.’
Rodgers admits the Dortmund drubbing stung but insists he will never sacrifice his principles
Criticised for adopting an open and attacking game plan against last season’s Champions League finalists, Rodgers dismissed any suggestion of a more pragmatic approach in the Gewiss Stadium.
Insisting his side will learn from recent heavy defeats at the elite level, the Parkhead boss quoted tonight’s opponents as the example to follow.
‘Obviously, they have totally different resources — they are way above us in terms of that,’ said Rodgers. ‘But if you look at the actual principle of it, Atalanta came through and arrived at this level.
‘I’m sure the manager will tell you that they had some really harsh learning experiences in terms of the games that they played, especially against the top Premier League teams. It was a real, real challenge and the scorelines were difficult for them.
Auston Trusty looks set to deputise for Carter-Vickers against Europa League winners Atalanta
‘But then they come away and they learn from that, I’m pretty sure, and stick with the philosophy, but still look at certain areas where they can be better and improve.
‘So, if you’re talking about a pragmatic coach, it’s a different coach, I’m a different person.
‘And that’s not to say that we go into the game and just be all-out attack, all-out front foot. That’s not how it is. But if a coach’s DNA is to sit back and be that, then that’s not me. And it won’t be. It won’t be me. It’s as simple as that.
‘My idea is to have an attacking philosophy, which is about defending and defending well.’
Despite training at Lennoxtown, Carter-Vickers failed to make the trip to Italy. Left-back Greg Taylor also stayed behind with an injury.
