Celtic have ‘discovered we can compete’ in Champions League – Brendan Rodgers

Posted Wednesday, November 06, 2024 by PA

Brendan Rodgers feels Celtic have discovered they can compete in the Champions League as he savoured his best night in the competition with the Hoops.

Celtic came from behind to beat RB Leipzig 3-1 thanks to the outstanding Nicolas Kuhn’s double and a well-deserved goal from Reo Hatate.

The Scottish champions have now bounced back from their 7-1 thrashing against Borussia Dortmund by holding Atalanta in Italy and sweeping to victory against a side sitting second in the Bundesliga.

⚽ A #UCL doüble for NK10! ⚽
Nicolas Kühn gives you (a great option on the) wings! 🫨#CelticLeipzig | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/9mtAQ1nLlJ
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) November 5, 2024

Rodgers said: “It gives a real nice confidence for the team. I think we’ve discovered in the last two games that we can be really competitive.

“If you’d said after the Dortmund game that we would have got four points from Atalanta and Red Bull Leipzig, probably not too many people would have said we would have done that.

“But I think we’ve discovered that we can play at the level. So it’s a great next step.

“To have seven points after four games, especially with the level of performance that we’ve played, gives us great encouragement.

“It means in the next four games we can have a real confidence to go and make the play-off stage, but it’s still such a long way to go.”

Rodgers agreed it was his best night with Celtic in Europe, pointing out that Leipzig have only conceded five goals in nine Bundesliga matches.

Celtic have ‘discovered we can compete’ in Champions League – Brendan Rodgers — Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, centre right, and Callum McGregor celebrate victory over Leipzig (Andrew Milligan/PA)

“In terms of the level of opponent, I would say that actually it wasn’t just the result, but the performance,” he said. “We played the game with a great charisma and confidence and showed the courage in our pressing.

“We’ve had some really good results but that definitely would be the best one.”

Celtic have now played their three hardest games in the league phase on paper and sit above the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris St Germain after winning three consecutive home games in the Champions League for the first time since 2007.

When asked if they could even target a potential top-eight place, Rodgers said: “No, we have to stay humble in our world. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. We played so well. We’re in a really good place and we now just focus on our next game against Kilmarnock.

“Obviously, when Club Brugge comes, we’ll look to keep adding to our points and see where it takes us at the end of January.”

Kuhn looked unplayable at times and scored a wonderful equaliser as he curled in off the post from 20 yards, but Rodgers was keen to stress the German winger can still improve.

“He’s still young so he still has more to go,” Rodgers said. “I thought his pressing could have been better. That was the thing I said to him.

“He’s obviously got goal contribution efficiency but he’s just learning and developing all the time.

“We’ve seen his talent. Bringing him to here was about making more goal contributions, being more robust and sustaining playing.

“But I thought he was really exciting when he had the ball and obviously the two goals were great for him having worked at Red Bull Leipzig before as a young player.”