Brendan Rodgers 'excited' at Leipzig Champions League test
Champions League: Celtic v RB Leipzig
Date: Tuesday, 5 November Venue: Celtic Park Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds. Text updates on BBC Sport website & app.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is looking forward to another "brilliant challenge" against a "top team" as RB Leipzig visit in the Champions League.
Celtic go into Tuesday's tie with four points from their three outings, while the German side are yet to get off the mark following defeats by Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool.
The visitors have been very strong in the Bundesliga, though, and are just three points behind leaders Bayern Munich after nine matches.
"Leipzig are no different to Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta," said Rodgers. "A top team. They have everything you would want - speed, power, technique.
"It's a brilliant challenge for us."
The visitors suffered their first league loss of the season away to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, while Celtic overpowered Aberdeen 6-0 to reach the League Cup final.
Leipzig lost 2-1 at the weekend whereas Celtic shipped seven goals in Dortmund in this competition last month before bouncing back with an admirable goalless draw away to Atalanta.
"You always have to learn and be better and we were against Atalanta, a really outstanding team," said Rodgers, who insists his players will take confidence from their display in Bergamo.
"We'll look to bring our energy to the game but we also know we'll have to defend for good periods of the game, play with concentration and commitment like we did against Atalanta," he said.
"There will be moments when we press with aggression and moments where we have to be controlled. Top teams will push you back and you have to have resilience."
Three of Celtic's next four games in the Champions League are in Glasgow.
"Home games are very important at this level and when you want the result the supporters can bring you closer to that," added Rodgers. "What the noise generates here is absolutely incredible.
"We will also need that bit of patience as well because we have to be educated in our pressure.
"We've got ourselves into a really good position after three games and now we have another opportunity to show we can pick up a result against a top team.
"Every game is like a cup final for us in this competition. Leipzig have had tough games - of course they will be desperate to get points on the board, but we are too, and that should make for a fantastic game."
Team news
Celtic are at full strength, with defenders Liam Scales and Greg Taylor pushing for starts after being used from the bench at Hampden at the weekend.
Captain Callum McGregor returned from an adductor problem to get through the whole game against Aberdeen.
RB Leipzig are without playmaker Xavi Simons through injury, along with David Raum, Xaver Schlager and Castello Lukeba.
Pick your Celtic XI
Who would make your Celtic XI?What they said
RB Leipzig coach Marco Rose: "They are in good shape. It's a good team with a good plan, with a clear idea of football and possession, intensive against the ball, quick players over the wings and yeah, individual quality, so a Champions League team.
"You need to be ready if you want to win here. It will be a great atmosphere, and we have to use it because we like to play in these kind of stadiums and we have to defend all what they give us to defend, but I'm sure that we want to get our chances with the ball in possession in transition, and these kind of chances we have to use."
Leipzig look to kick-start campaign
European results have been in stark contrast to the manner in which Leipzig have started the domestic season – until Saturday that is.
The 2-1 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund was their first in the league and ended the club's best top-flight unbeaten run of 19 games, going back to the previous campaign.
Indeed, the 20 points gained in their opening eight matches prior to the weekend represented their best start to a Bundesliga season, so clearly this is not a team to be taken lightly.
They are not, however, at full strength. The talented Xavi Simons, back on loan from Paris St-Germain after a brilliant season in which he helped RB Leipzig finish in the top four for a sixth successive year, is injured, as is German international full-back David Raum.
It also looks like stylish French centre-back Castello Lukeba will miss out.
Of course you don't compete at the top end of the German league without a strong squad and there are still plenty of talented players Celtic will have to deal with.
Key stats
Tuesday will be the fifth meeting of Celtic and RB Leipzig, with the Scots winning once and the German outfit triumphing three times.
Celtic's last win over German opposition was a 2-1 home victory against Leipzig during the group stage of the Europa League in 2018 and their last loss to a German side was against Borussia Dortmund in October.
Leipzig are winless in their past five Uefa competition matches, including four losses and one draw.
The Bundesliga side last won away from home against foreign opposition against Young Boys in Switzerland in last season's Champions League group opener.
Top scorer Daizen Maeda is bidding to become the first Celtic player to score three times in a Champions League group or league phase since Moussa Dembele in 2016.
Leipzig are bidding to be the first away winner at Celtic Park in any competition since Hearts in December, 2023.
