Brendan Rodgers has called on the Celtic fans to propel his team into the last 32 of the Europa League.

The manager watched his side reach the brink of qualification after a 1-0 win against Rosenborg.

With Salzburg beating Leipzig in Austria, Celtic only need a draw to qualify at the German team’s expense.

However Rodgers insists his side will go for the jugular in the group’s final game.

The boss told the Herald: “It’s very difficult going into a game to play for a draw.

“We’ll be going into the last game looking to win.”

The manager’s plea to the Celtic fans to create a typical European atmosphere at Celtic Park could be enough to get the Hoops over the line.

The Celtic fans don’t need any encouragement to make their home one of the most intimidating in Europe.

Rodgers knows this, but did call for a ‘synergy’ between the fans and players.

He told the Scotsman: “I don’t need to encourage them. It will be a fantastic demonstration of what the Celtic support is about.

“We want to use the whole Celtic Park experience to push us over the line.”

Sitting pretty

Celtic were in a tough spot to qualify for the last 32 after their first three games in this group.

A victory over Rosenborg gave Celtic hope on the opening match day. Two away defeats to Salzburg and Leipzig had Celtic scrambling to remain respectable.

Their hard-fought and deserved win over Leipzig set them up with a golden opportunity to qualify.

Last night’s win in Trondheim was one of Celtic’s most important in Europe for many years.

When Salzburg come to town in two weeks, they won’t be receiving a special festive welcome from the Celtic Park faithful.

Related Topics