Gladbach just as tough as City, warns Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has urged his players to produce another memorable Champions League night when Celtic entertain Borussia Monchengladbach at Parkhead on Wednesday.

Rodgers’ men bounced back from their opening 7-0 thrashing at Barcelona in Group C by playing out a pulsating 3-3 draw with Premier League leaders Manchester City on matchday two.

Celtic led three times amid a fervent atmosphere in Glasgow and Rodgers thinks the home faithful can play a key role once more against a Gladbach side nursing back-to-back defeats in the round-robin phase.

“Tomorrow will be another brilliant game and we have to set the tone for the supporters,” Rodgers told a pre-match news conference.

“It’s the same idea. Our home games were always going to be important for us. We hope we can produce the same performance as our last game here but hope we get the right result.

“The Manchester City match will give the team confidence but every game at this level is tough in a different way. This will be a very good side we are playing against.

“It’s certainly not the case of Manchester City being up there and we should then steamroller Borussia Monchengladbach – not at all. This will be an equally tough game in a different type of way.

“They have done very well and it shows the level they have been at in order to qualify for the Champions League. They play a 3-4-3 system: a back three, four flat midfielders and then they alternate how they work up front – it will either be two in behind or one behind and two up top.

“Again, it will be another test for us. Like all teams at this level they will have technically-gifted players, and tactically, they will have a good idea of the team and they will have speed.”

If there is a loser at Celtic Park, that side could find themselves cut adrift in the standings, but Rodgers is not focused on the overall permutations.

“We’re not thinking about where we finish at this moment in time; just looking at next game,” he added.

“We know we’re in the most difficult group and this year’s Champions League experience was always going to be a huge learning one for us.”

“Getting better as each day goes on and this type of occasion will benefit the players. We’re here to win and in our home games we want to ensure we get a victory.”