JUST IN: Brendan Rodgers gives Monumental clue on UCL next fixture against Dortmund as Celtic all set to take the BULL by its horn after a 6goal feast to dump St. Johnstone.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised his team for showcasing their Champions League mindset during their emphatic 6-0 victory over St Johnstone and expressed confidence that they are prepared to take the game to Borussia Dortmund.
Rodgers witnessed a dominant performance from his side, with two goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and additional strikes from Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, Daizen Maeda, and Adam Idah. The win kept Celtic at the top of the Premiership, boasting a perfect record of six wins from six games and six clean sheets.
“We’re in a really good place,” Rodgers said. “I see the rhythm, speed, and hunger in the team. We’re going up against a top side on their home turf, but I’m excited to see how we play. Dortmund are a very strong team with great players, but we can go there and impose our style on the game.
“As long as we press, attack, and fight, we’ll see where that takes us. We can manage the ball and play our game. We have the attributes now—speed, physicality, and the ability to dig in when necessary.
“Dortmund are on a really high level, but I’m eager to see how we stack up. I believe we can create chances and score goals, and that’s the mindset we’ll take into the match.
“It’s going to be a fantastic occasion for us. I can’t wait. Before the St Johnstone match, much of the focus was on the upcoming Champions League game, but I thought this was a chance to demonstrate our Champions League mentality.
“From start to finish, the players were brilliant—strong defensively, aggressive in winning the ball back, and showing great attitude. Daizen’s effort in the 86th minute to track back and win the ball epitomized that, and it allowed us to be creative and free-flowing in attack. The goals were fantastic.
“Not bad for a team that supposedly doesn’t play good football,” Rodgers quipped, referring to past criticism.
Celtic also had a Daizen Maeda goal ruled out by VAR when the referee judged that Auston Trusty had fouled Graham Carey earlier in the build-up. Rodgers was not convinced by the decision: “It should never have been disallowed. Auston lost his marker, and their player stepped into his space and bumped him.”
Midfielder Paulo Bernardo echoed Rodgers’ optimism, stating that Celtic can achieve something special against Dortmund, last season’s Champions League runners-up.
“I think we were at our best against St Johnstone,” Bernardo said. “We could have scored even more. We have a strong mentality and a strong group. We might adjust a few things because of how Dortmund play, but we’ll give our best. We know our chances, and we’ll do everything to get points. The sky’s the limit.”