Brendan Rodgers thinks Celtic winning a knockout European tie will just be the ‘start’ of where he wants to bring the Bhoys in continental competition during his second spell in charge.
Rodgers successfully navigated knockout qualifiers to compete in the UEFA Champions League in 2016 and 2017, but like many managers before him did not manage to guide the club towards a victory in Europe after Christmas.
In 2017/18, the Bhoys lost to Zenit in the Last 32 of the UEFA Europa League and in 2018/19, Valencia were the victors over Celtic at the same stage of the competition.
Rodgers looking for a winning Celtic side in Europe
Asked what success looks like in Europe during a fan media event 67 Hail Hail attended earlier today, and whether that first knockout win since 2004 is the aim, Rodgers said: “It’s certainly a start. Obviously, the draw of getting into the Champions League and what it does for the club financially is great, but I’m here to win and I want to win. It’s why I’ve come back, to win and to see what we can do in Europe.
“Europe is a huge part of the history of this club. I also understand the challenges, having worked in the Premier League and knowing the budgets down there. Those clubs can then go in and far supersede what we can pay but we want to be competitive and I think that’s what is important for us.
“Some will define success differently. But certainly winning in a knockout stage would be a help and be a start.”
Celtic’s seeding for the forthcoming Champions League group stage has not yet been confirmed but it’s looking very likely we’ll end up in Pot 4. Rodgers guided the Bhoys to a third-placed position with that seeding in 2017 ahead of Anderlecht, parachuting into the Europa League.
That parachute option is in place next season but will not be available from 2024 onwards, so this could be a key campaign for Rodgers’ ambition to progress after Christmas. Third in any group is very achievable if we play to our capabilities.
It remains to be seen how competitive Celtic will be in Europe under Rodgers, but the attitude and intent are along the right lines. It shouldn’t just be about taking part and banking the cash. Celtic are capable of much more than that.
In other news, Brendan Rodgers addresses Celtic frustrations before exit and what’s changed behind-the-scenes.
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