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Brendan Rodgers is a fantastic Celtic manager and what he’s done has been revolutionary.

Back to back trebles as well as an improvement on the style of play since the last gaffer is clear to see.

However, when it comes to Europe, the Irishman is being severely found out and it showed last night.

Valencia game teaching Rodgers a lesson in possession

The manager is clearly hammering down on keeping possession in European matches.

The Hoops’ ball retention was good for the most part but you’ll be hard pressed to find any damage done.

Towards the end of the game, I heard a fan shout: “We do what we always do, pass back, then to the side and start all over again.”

Whereas Valencia had far less of the ball and did a lot more with it – scoring two.

It was the professional, perfect away performance in Europe by Marcelino’s side who deserved to win.

Rodgers can take a lesson from his opposite number on how to handle an away performance of this magnitude.

He knows his best squad domestically but he can’t decide to play in the same manner as in Scotland.

Manager must be bolder with personnel in future

It’s easier to say this player should have played over that one following a defeat.

This helps the soothing process a little to think a change or two would have changed the tie.

However, overall on reflection Rodgers did get something wrong with the line-up – it lacked physicality.

It’s Celtic’s strongest team and arguably one that most fans would have chosen before kick-off – it’s on a fantastic domestic run in 2019 after all.

Unfortunately, they were shown up by a Valencia team clearly larger in stature all over the park.

The Bhoys were never going to win the physical battle, even if they were comparable with ball playing abilities.

Rodgers is a world-class experienced manager who should have realised this and perhaps sacrificed to aid this.

Fans may have moaned and groaned, but the Hoops would have coped better with the more physical Nir Bitton in the starting line-up over Ryan Christie for example.

It’s not all Rodgers’ fault

All this said, the two goals are completely down to lapses of concentration and poor defending.

The manager can take blame for personnel on that front but he was forced to use the players he had.

Emilio Izaguirre is clearly not watching the line for the first goal and is the last one back into the box.

The second is one that everyone and their dog in the stadium saw coming and it’s mind-boggling it wasn’t defended better.

Celtic have it all to do next week at the Mestalla and it’s only hope that’s left.

The Hoops probably won’t win the game but the manager must show he is learning his lesson in Europe.