Brendan Rodgers understands what qualifying for the Champions League latter stages really means to Celtic.
The Hoops secured a playoff spot with a win over Young Boys last night and a top eight position is still there to be fought for even if the likelihood of success is slim in that regard.
It has been a stellar competition for the Scottish champions so far with big wins over RB Leipzig and Slovan Bratislava as well as massive points away from home vs Atalanta and Dinamo.
It is a far cry from Celtic’s record in the Champions League where they have only reached the knockout rounds three times since 2007.
The win over YB means Celts have made it with a game against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa to spare as the Premier League side themselves seek automatic qualification among the top eight group.
But Rodgers wanted to make it clear in his post-match press conference last night that his side have made significant progress this term.
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Rodgers says Celtic have shown they belong in Champions League
Critics of the side at this level have never been far away especially where away form has been concerned.
Yet the manager believes this season’s run in the newly revamped League Phase of the tournament shows how the Hoops can scrap it out on the European stage.
He also believes they won a match last night that in previous seasons they might have lost and that shows they are on the right track.
“We get the little bit of luck with the goal we didn’t get in the first-half so I’ve been involved with many of the games here where you end up drawing that game and it’s a bit flat at the end,” Rodgers said.
“Even worse lose the game when you shouldn’t have. For us to win it shows maturity, development of the squad, so I’m so pleased for everyone.
“The club’s always the most important and the supporters from the first whistle to the end could see the players needed lifting.
“Especially at the end where the players needed that push to keep them moving forward so it’s a little bit of history created, we haven’t been in the knockout stages for a long time so for the fans it’s an amazing night and for the club it’s really good.
“If we look at progress we’ve won three, drawn three, lost one, over the course of the Champions League it’s really good consistency.”
Celtic critics have blasted previous efforts in UCL but remain quiet this season
Speaking on criticism in previous years, Rodgers said: “It’s obviously a privilege to be here and manage here, there’s been so many critics of Celtic at this level and there’s no doubt it’s a challenge at this level, but the players have stepped up.
“They’ve been superb over the seven games. The setback in Dortmund we learned from and now the players tonight get their reward.”
“We’ve shown that in the games we’ve played in the competition, especially at home, we’ve shown over the course of the whole season we can score goals at the level.
“It’s just that perseverance and resilience to keep going.
“This is a level that despite Young Boys and their record they’ve got good players, it’s why they are Swiss champions.
“It’s the mentality, the crowd kept driving the team on and we got the reward in the end.
“We will always fight to the very end and the players showed the benefits of that.”
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