Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers says Bayern Munich are still a top-class team

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wants his side to impose their style of play on Bayern Munich

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers refuses to buy into the idea that Bayern Munich are on a downward spiral.

Ahead of his team's visit to the German giants in the Champions League, Rodgers played down talk that this Bayern side's best days are behind them.

"We are really looking forward to it," the Celtic manager said.

"We have to be realistic. Everyone is looking at Bayern and thinking they have fallen out the tree and are in turmoil but I don't see that at all."

Celtic take on the Germans on Wednesday night in the Allianz Arena, having lost 5-0 to Paris St-Germain and beaten Anderlecht 3-0 in their two Group B matches so far.

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski was on target as Bayern Munich beat Freiburg 5-0

Bayern beat Anderlecht in their opening match but lost 3-0 at PSG, with boss Carlo Ancelotti sacked in the aftermath of that defeat in Paris.

Jupp Heynckes has taken over for a third time, having led Bayern to an historic Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League treble in 2012-13.

They have lost just one of their eight league games so far this term and hammered Freiburg 5-0 in Heynckes' first match since returning on Saturday.

"They are full of world-class players, they've got a manager back in who knows the club well and this is a competition they want to win," Rodgers added.

"It's a great game for us, great experience for these players, going to this arena to play against a top-class team.

"But we will go there very confident that we can do well and go and impose how we want to work."

'They've got their tails up again'

Former Celtic captain Paul Lambert, who won the Champions League with Bayern's rivals Borussia Dortmund in 1997, insists the appointment of Heynckes is a "masterstroke".

"He's the last guy to do the treble, which not many people do here," Lambert added. "The players know him, so I think it's a clever move from the club."

Lambert has been in Germany for the past week studying coaching methods and has spent time at Bayern Munich.

"I watched them train this week and went to their game yesterday [against Freiburg] - they were brilliant, absolutely outstanding.

"I saw them training and when I came out from training I thought 'they've got their tails up again'. It looked like that.

Paul Lambert was a stand-out performer as Borussia Dortmund beat Juventus in the Champions League final

"Their build-up play from the back, they probably have two of the best centre-halves in Europe that can play with the ball from the back. They have a young kid at right back, [Joshua] Kimmich, who was outstanding yesterday. They have [David] Alaba on the left who flies up and down the side. They were excellent."

Having this week witnessed first-hand how devastating Bayern can be, Lambert knows his former side will be up against it.

"You have a chance in any football match, but Bayern Munich have to be off the pace," he told BBC Scotland.

"Celtic will know themselves, you don't come to the Allianz Arena and think you can play your normal game - you have to raise it. Their crowd is vibrant, they move the ball really quickly and they have incredible technical footballers there.

"Celtic have a chance if they play above themselves and don't give Bayern Munich respect - you have to go up against them, you can't let them play."