Celtic

Image source, SNS

Brendan Rodgers is ready to do whatever it takes to win – as he prepares for another tricky trip to Fir Park

Celtic came from 2-0 down to edge a seven-goal thriller during his first spell at the club, followed by a record of late draws and stoppage time wins between the two sides in Lanarkshire.

But with Celtic fired up after their Champions League draw against Atalanta, Rodgers says he’s relishing the chance to return to Motherwell.

“It’s always been a tough place to go,” he said.

“I always really enjoy going there. It’s always a really good atmosphere, we bring a great support behind the goals.

“We’ll expect a team that will be well organised. Stuart [Kettlewell] organises his teams very, very well, very organised, very committed.

“They’ll be disappointed with their last result, so they’ll want to bounce back from that. And for us, we know what we need after a Champions League game. It’s big energy, big attitude and to continue with the great start to the season for us.”

“Ultimately you have to do what it takes to get the result. And we always have that mentality that we can.”

Rodgers believes that some of the wins at Fir Park, including last season’s dramatic late winner by Matt O’Riley, had been among his most satisfying games.

“Some of the games when we were searching for that late win, Matt scored a great goal at the back post,” he said.

“It was everything that we would want. Scoring a late win away from home is always really nice and it’s great for the supporters. But, of course, whichever way it comes, you just want to win.”

Image source, SNS

Motherwell have midfielder Tom Sparrow back after a minor injury, while striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has recovered from the upset stomach that forced him off against Dundee.

But Paul McGinn, Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson, Harry Paton, Ross Callachan and Jack Vale are long-term absentees.

Celtic hope to have centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers and left-back Greg Taylor back from injury.

Image source, SNS

Brendan Rodgers has defended record signing Arne Engels after the Belgium midfielder came in for criticism for his recent performances.

The 21-year-old, who joined from Augsburg for £11m in the summer, initially impressed but has had a quieter few weeks.

"There are critics in the game, everyone has an opinion you have to respect that," manager Rodgers said.

"For me, we brought a young player in who is nowhere near the finished article.

"There's a price around him which could make you think you’re buying someone who's the finished article, but he's not. He's a 21-year-old who's got great potential and it’s my job here, along with the staff, to develop that."

Rodgers says Engels is still adjusting to the intensity and pressure of playing for Celtic.

"He's coming from playing one game a week – that's a holiday in my book – to come and play at a big club with big pressure and big expectation and you'll feel it," he said.

"We had the same with Nicolas Kuhn, we probably had the same with Callum McGregor over the years.

"I understand it, people make a judgement and an opinion but I'm so, so happy he chose to come here. He's shown more than enough in this short period of time that he's going to be fantastic for us."

Image source, SNS

Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as Celtic prepare for a trip to Motherwell on Sunday.

Here are the main points:

• Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor are both back training with the squad and could be involved at Fir Park but a decision will be made on Saturday.

• Rodgers praised the defensive performance against Atalanta but is pleased to have two "very important players" back in the fold.

• He says the draw in Bergamo "galvanises" his players and gives them huge confidence as it showed they have "dig, grit and determination" as well as the ability to "play some brilliant football".

• The manager was full of praise for defensive duo Auston Trusty and Liam Scales, who were "immense". Trusty's performance "shows why we signed him".

• Rodgers says the team are finally reaching what he set out to achieve when coming back to the club - to "build something in Europe". Says the "graft, heart, desire and organisation that can help us going forward."

• On Arne Engels, Rodgers says he is "nowhere near a finished article" but has great potential and it's his job to develop that.

• He's expecting a very organised, committed Motherwell side who will want to bounce back from a poor result last week while he's looking for "big energy and big attitude" to continue a "great start to the season" from Celtic.

• On former Celtic midfielder Tommy Callaghan, who has died at age 78, Rodgers said: "I think any player that's been signed twice by Jock Stein tells you how good a player he was. A sad day but a real legend of the club and all our thoughts are with his family."

Image source, SNS

Former Celtic midfielder Tommy Callaghan, who played over 250 times for the club and won six league medals, has died at the age of 78.

Callaghan joined in 1968 from Dunfermline Athletic and was notable for being the only player Jock Stein ever signed twice - having also taken him to the Pars in 1962.

A huge Celtic fan, the Fife native stayed at Parkhead for eight years and also won three Scottish Cups and two League Cups as well as scoring 34 goals before leaving in 1976 to join Clydebank.

After he retired from playing, he was still a regular at Celtic Park as a matchday host.

A statement from the club said: "The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Tommy’s friends and family at this sad time."

Though Celtic drew 0-0 with Atalanta in the Champions League, one of their players did get a European goal this week with Johnny Kenny, on loan at Shamrock Rovers, netting in the 4-1 Conference League win over Larne. (Sun), external

Celtic captain Callum McGregor says Tuesday's performance was from a team that wanted "to be a team that does the talking on the pitch". (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

Midfielder Paulo Bernardo insists Celtic's mentality in the draw with Atalanta is key to their hopes of a memorable Champions League campaign.

After the chastening drubbing by Borussia Dortmund, Bernardo says Celtic showed unity to take a point in Bergamo and he has called for more of the same when Leipzig visit Parkhead on 5 November.

"The game that we played against Dortmund, we had a lot to learn," said the 22-year-old Portuguese.

"I think we did that and we had a great response. Our togetherness on the pitch showed that and we need to stick together every game like this.

"It was important against Dortmund to open our eyes to the reality of the Champions League.

"We needed to respond. We need to be prepared for these games and I think we did a great job.

"We need to focus on that and play each game like it's a final for us. We need to show our mentality like we did this game.

"A point away is always good. Now we need to focus already on the next one."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Rudyard Kipling called it just about right, didn't he?

‘If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same.’

It's the mantra of many a manager, but I fancy no one is a greater believer in the keeping of an even keel right now than Brendan Rodgers.

The manager is steering the good ship Celtic back to the long-lost oasis of Champions League respectability. Slowly, surely and having dropped anchor already at both the ports of triumph and disaster.

The five-goal demolition of Slovan Bratislava on matchday one was triumphant in any way you care to measure. Then the horror show in Dortmund nearly holed Celtic's prospects below the waterline after just a couple of matches.

Back afloat after a precious point was bravely won in Bergamo, where does this leave the Parkhead side's European aspirations now? Probably ahead of where the manager thought he'd be. Four points from nine after trips to Dortmund and Atalanta? Rodgers would have signed for that without a second's hesitation.

So the Champions League no-hopers (post Dortmund) are now nailed on for the knockout stages (post Atalanta)?

It’s where that fine line between glory and ignominy comes in. Where a calmness and consistency of approach can help keep a cool head in the heat of hope.

The pragmatism shown in Italy may well be the evidence the club's fans were looking for to suggest the side is maturing in Europe's elite competition.

And if Leipzig – good as they are – can be defeated in the cauldron of Glasgow’s East End early next month, the Parkhead support will have a great deal of trouble following Mr Kipling's call for equanimity. They'll see the promised land hoving happily into view over the horizon.

Which brings me back to another line from ‘If’.

‘If you can dream and not make dreams your master.’

Right now Celtic fans are dreaming of heading down to Birmingham to face Aston Villa having already qualified for the next phase of the Champions League. The defensive triumph against Atalanta gives them every reason to be optimistic.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland in Bergamo

Image source, SNS

Defender Auston Trusty says Celtic "showed the world what we are" after bouncing back from their humbling by Borussia Dortmund to secure a hard-earned point away to Atalanta in the Champions League.

Trusty endured a torrid night at the Westfalenstadion on his first Champions League start as Dortmund ran riot in a 7-1 win, but the American delivered a towering defensive performance alongside Liam Scales to snuff out the Europa League winners in Bergamo.

"The beauty of football is that if there was another game, we could react and show the world what team we really are," Trusty, 26, said.

"Sometimes you just have those nights, and obviously that's a night we'd never want to see again or feel again.

"I think that put a pin in our stomach, so we wanted to come out here and show the world what we can do to show the world what we are.

"I'm used to these situations and I think I can bring a lot of expertise to this squad and to this organisation where I can be a leader on the team, on and off the pitch."

We asked for your views after Celtic held hosts Atalanta to a goalless draw in the Champions League.

Here's what some of you said:

Patrick: Fantastic performance from every player and great tactics. I've never seen such an exciting 0-0 draw! Excellent result for us away from home in the Champions League. Bring on the home games.

Malcolm: Glad Celtic learned to take a different approach into the Atalanta game - it shows that when you change your normal style in Europe you can go toe to toe with the best.

Andy: Great defensive performance, rode our luck though. However, Adam Idah was there to hold the ball up but couldn't, must do better as just now does not look worth the money. Arne Engles has been posted missing the last two games. That may be due to the opposition targeting him but he must do better in possession. Overall a bonus point hard earned.

John: Great result - to go from a flat-out attacking team to a brick-wall defence must be difficult. Auston Trusty and Alex Valle are really settling in well. Engels had a hard shift but has such a classy touch.

Brian: Great defensive performance by Celtic, all the players stuck to their tasks and got the result they deserved.

Michael: One of the best defensive games I've seen in the Champions League. Liam Scales was my man of the match and Trusty did a good job. This point could be crucial for us.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Celtic captain and manager Neil Lennon

"I think it's one of best results in Brendan Rodgers' career. They have proven tonight they can go away from home and dig out a result."

Former Scotland forward James McFadden

"Even the most optimistic Celtic fan wouldn't have expected a clean sheet at Atalanta. Celtic were far more narrow and compact [than the Dortmund game].

"It's a fantastic result, it really is. Liam Scales and Auston Trusty were outstanding. The two of them didn't panic. Atalanta asked a lot of questions and Celtic had the answers."

Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart

"So many moments in that game it felt like the pressure was similar to the Dortmund game.

"Dortmund got out of control very quickly, but this time Celtic could deal in the chaos, win the big headers, got a little bit of luck, and some big saves from Kasper Schmeichel.

"Once it got through to 70 minutes it felt like Atalanta ran out of ideas. Celtic as a complete squad, brilliant effort."

Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner

"That was much more like it. Celtic got better in the second half. I thought they'd actually be under more pressure.

"They defended their box brilliantly. I've got to give credit to Rodgers and the staff, they got it absolutely right."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland in Bergamo

Captain Callum McGregor says nullifying Atalanta will give Celtic confidence they can go away from home and compete with any team in the Champions League.

The Scottish champions produced a resolute defensive display to snuff out the Europa League winners in Bergamo and emerge with a goalless draw.

Coming off the back of a 7-1 trouncing against Borussia Dortmund in Germany on matchday two, McGregor says his team delivered a “brave” performance to secure a precious point in their bid to reach the knockout stages.

"Probably everyone from the outside maybe thinking that we didn't have a chance after the Dortmund game,” McGregor said.

"It was about trying to do ourselves justice, putting in a proper performance.

"I don't think you can come to many tougher places against a tougher opponent really.

"They obviously won the Europa League last year, beat some big teams and were really strong and powerful.

"When you see them up close and personal, they're all big strong boys, they can all play football.

"So there's not many teams that will test you as much as they tested us tonight, so hopefully we can take big confidence from that and belief when the next game comes around, which we know will be another tough one as well."

Image source, Getty Images

• Celtic have kept a Champions League clean sheet for the first time since a 3-0 win over Anderlecht in September 2017, ending a run of 18 games without one in which they shipped 51 goals.

• Although they failed to score in the first half, Atalanta accumulated an xG (expected goals) total of 1.71, the fourth highest by a team in the first half of a Champions League game this season. Indeed, two of those four highest first-half xG totals have been against Celtic, with Borussia Dortmund posting 2.1 xG in their match on 1 October.

• Celtic attempted four shots in this game, their fewest in a match in this Champions League season.

• Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has made six saves in each of his last two Champions League appearances. Here he became the first Celtic goalkeeper to make as many as six saves and keep a clean sheet in a Champions League game on record (since 2003-04).

• The goalless draw ended a run of 85 consecutive games in major European matches without a 0-0 for Celtic, with their last such result coming against Benfica back in September 2012 in a Champions League match.

• Atalanta are just the second team on record in the Champions League (from 2008-09 onwards) to have 20+ shots (22) and 50+ touches in the opposition box (54) and not score a goal, along with Paris St-Germain against Borussia Dortmund in last season’s semi-final second leg (30 shots, 50 touches in the opposition box).

Former England defender Martin Keown praised Celtic for their performance at Atalanta and said it "was very reminiscent of the way Arsenal played" during his era. (Daily Record)

Kasper Schmeichel's dad Peter was unimpressed with fellow pundit Jamie Carragher teasing him that Atalanta had scored while the pair worked on Celtic's Champions League tie for American TV. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.