'Hopefully, With The Celtic Park Crowd At Their Best, And The Players Performance. We Can Get Over The Line'

A Word With The Manager

- Paul Cuddihy

BRENDAN Rodgers always knew that December was going to be both a busy and significant month for his squad, with nine matches scheduled across three competitions.

With three of those fixtures already chalked off the calendar, Celtic have retained the League Cup they’d won the previous two seasons, while a scintillating display on Saturday saw the team return to the top of the Premiership table.

Now there is an opportunity to secure European football after Christmas for the second consecutive season, with the Hoops knowing that a point against FC Salzburg on matchday six of the Europa League this Thursday night will be enough to achieve that.

The fact that Celtic’s European fate is in their own hands is due in no small part to the impressive victory over RB Leipzig in their last home tie, although the 1-0 win over Rosenborg in Norway, coupled with Salzburg’s victory against Leipzig by the same margin was also key to how the group has unfolded.

Now, Paradise could witness another special European night when the Group B leaders come calling, and while the Celtic manager is anticipating a tough test against a side who have a 100 per cent record in the group stages up to now, he also knows that his players will use the performance and result as inspiration for the 90 minutes ahead.