How Pep Guardiola 2019 comments about Atalanta should act as Celtic warning

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Celtic know they have a tough task on their hands this evening when they face Atalanta in Italy.

The Serie A side will present a difficult and hard to beat side while also pushing with slick, quick football on the attack as they look to add to their points tally in the League Phase.

They swarmed all over Shakhtar Donetsk last week and won 3-0 comfortably away from home.

But this time they will play in front of their home fans against Brendan Rodgers‘ squad who suffered against Borussia Dortmund last time out.

• READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers fired back a ‘reality’ check to the media for their Champions League criticism of Celtic

Celts will be praying for an improved showing from their miserable 7-1 hammering in Germany, but old comments from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has not exactly added to the confidence levels.

City were the opponents back in 2019 in Milan and they were held to a 1-1 draw when goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was sent off and right-back Kyle Walker ended up between the sticks.

At the time Guardiola was relatively pleased with his side’s performance given the size of the task after they had their stopper sent off.

Celtic travel to Atalanta this evening in the 5.45pm Champions League kick off

It also came off the back of a 5-1 win over the same opponents at the Etihad previously, giving City four points from six against the black and blues.

But the Spanish coach described facing the Italians as like ‘going to the dentist’ as they were tough to face and get the better of on their own patch.

Speaking in the aftermath of the fixture five years ago, Guardiola acknowledged that his side had been in a battle as he heaped credit on Atalanta.

Guardiola warned facing Atalanta is like ‘going to the dentist’

And he offered Celtic boss Rodgers a bit of an insight into what he can expect come 5.45pm this evening.

“All the Italians will tell you that to get four points against them is a big success for us,” said Guardiola.

“Playing Atalanta is like going to the dentist – it’s really, really tough and we knew that it would be. It was a great performance in every sense.”