Johan Mjallby thinks Brendan Rodgers will change one thing for Celtic’s Champions League second leg vs Kairat Almaty

Add as preferred source on Google

Celtic produced a lacklustre display in their Champions League play-off first leg tie against Kairat Almaty.

The Hoops were held to a goalless draw by Kairat as they looked nowhere near their best and now face a gruelling 7,000 mile trip to a side situated near the Chinese border.

Brendan Rodgers looked frustrated on the touchline at times and although they haven’t made life easy for themselves, will still be considered favourites.

Some tactics may need to be tweaked and former Celtic captain Johan Mjallby thinks he knows what Rodgers will do.

• READ MORE: Five things we learned as Celtic face 7,000 mile trip with Champions League fate in the balance

Brendan Rodgers to use Champions League away day blueprint

Last season was Celtic’s best showing in the Champions League for the best part of a decade and one of the biggest reasons behind that was the way they played away from home.

Aside from the 7-0 walloping against Borussia Dortmund, the Bhoys looked impressive on the road and even picked up draws against Atalanta and Bayern Munich.

Playing more defensively to hit on the counter suited the Hoops and Mjallby thinks it could work again.

Speaking on TNT Sports, he said: “Celtic didn’t create enough clear-cut chances for me to say they should have won the game, despite having more possession. Kairat defended so well, too.

“Rodgers has clearly said this group, playing these two games, are good enough.

“They will have another competitive game in their legs [at the weekend] so maybe they will be fitter.

“They can take confidence from some of their away games last season – not against Dortmund – and maybe Rodgers needs to be a bit more pragmatic for it.”

Celtic must rest against Livingston ahead of second leg

The games don’t stop and next on the Bhoys’ agenda is a Scottish Premiership fixture against Livingston.

Had this first leg been a plain-sailing victory then the changes may have come in Kazakhstan, however, that will no longer be the case.

But, now there is work to do for Rodgers and co, it may be better to rotate the squad this weekend, especially when the difference between the Champions League and Europa League prize money is enormous.