Celtic credibility in European football restored – Brendan Rodgers
Alphonso Davies’ devastating injury-time equalizer sent the six-time champions to the round of 16, but despite the Hoops’ valiant performance in the Bavarian city yesterday evening, Rodgers’ team was eliminated from Europe’s top club competition.
Celtic came within seconds of winning in 90 minutes on German soil and becoming the first Scottish team to advance to extra time.Four thousand traveling away supporters went into raptures as Nicolas Kuhn scored the goal at the hour mark.
The Celtic manager praised his team’s incredible performance against Munich and cites the 7-1 Champions League defeat of Dortmund early in the season and their near-miss against the Bundesliga champions elect in their tenth and final match as evidence of advancement in Europe’s top division.
As he evaluated Celtic’s near-miracle outcome, Rodgers told Amazon Prime, “It was [a sucker punch], not what the players deserved especially right at the very end.”
“They played with confidence and gave the game their all.” We didn’t give away too much, and I thought we were able to focus well enough to keep them at bay. After that, we had some excellent plays and quality, and I thought we had the greatest opportunities of the game. A truly heroic performance that ended tragically.
“We wanted to get the game going quickly. We have to be careful not to reveal too much. Both with and without the ball, we played with aggression and control. We were placed in some excellent places.
“We had a constant sense that we would win the game; all we needed to do was translate that assurance into our play. It was just such a horrible way to exit the competition without even losing the game.
“My main takeaway from this season is that I believe we have rebuilt our European credibility from the previous season. If you consider our most recent visit to Germany, I believe we have occasionally displayed true quality.
Celtic will need to participate in a two-leg playoff to advance to the Champions League in August, as there is no guarantee of automatic Champions League participation for the tournament the following season. Rodgers thinks the team needs to be strengthened in the summer in order to advance further at this level.
“I think we need to improve the squad again,” the 51-year-old stated. At this level, you must possess that freshness and be able to offer talent off the bench as well. For us, that’s the next move,” the Celtic boss stated.
However, I believe that this season has been excellent. We have played some fantastic football, experienced setbacks, and bounced back. Making us a seasoned team at this level that you can consolidate is my goal.
“They have given me everything, and if I assess it by myself tonight, I came back here to advance in Europe. It is now our responsibility to grow from that, draw lessons from our season’s experiences, and end the season with a strong showing. Next season, we must return to the Champions League, therefore let’s see if we can get better.
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