Celtic aim to end 10-year UCL drought against Lazio

Brendan Rodgers wasted no time on his return as the Hoops' manager in revealing his ambition is to finally make a mark on the Champions League. In domestic football, Celtic remain in a class of their own having won 11 of the last 12 Scottish Premiership titles and four domestic trebles in the past six seasons.

But Rodgers was in charge during his first spell at the club the last time the Hoops won a game in Europe's elite competition in 2017 away to Anderlecht. After failing to qualify for the next four seasons, Celtic collected just two points from six games on their return to the Champions League last season under Ange Postecoglou despite some impressive performances.

The reality facing Rodgers was laid bare in a 2-0 defeat to Feyenoord two weeks ago. After a bright start, the visitors were undone by red cards to new signings Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm, whose inexperience showed on their Champions League debuts. Celtic's business model of hoovering up young talent from around the globe at bargain prices to be developed and sold on at big profits has been highly successful for the club's bank balance.

Financial results for last season revealed a club record pre-tax profit of £40.7 million for the 2022/23 season and £72 million of cash in the bank. Rodgers could be forgiven for wishing he had therefore been handed more significant funds to strengthen his squad in the transfer window, especially after suffering a number of injuries to key players early in the season.

 

October 3, 2023

"If you look at the strategy of the club, it's signing the younger players to develop and improve," said the Northern Irishman. "You need quality and you need experience, and that will obviously help and support potential that you have. So that's something that hopefully over the course of my time here the squad can regenerate into that way."

After spending most of his managerial career in the Premier League, Rodgers is having to readjust to living within the constraints of a budget in the small pond of Scottish football. But he still believes Celtic are capable of far more than they have shown in recent times in European football.

The Scottish champions have not won a knockout tie beyond the qualifying stage in any European competition since 2004, during which time local rivals Rangers have reached the UEFA Cup and Europa League finals. "We want to see if we can make an impact in Europe," added Rodgers.

"It's always a challenge at the really highest level but we want to go in there and see if we can progress and show our good side." Lazio's own troubles give Celtic some encouragement - as does recent success against the Italians. Four years ago they beat the 'Biancocelesti' home and away in the Europa League group stages.

Lazio arrive in Glasgow sitting just outside the Serie A relegation zone having won just two of their opening seven league games of the season. And they only salvaged a point at home to Atletico Madrid in their opening Champions League game thanks to a remarkable stoppage time equaliser by goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.

Maurizio Sarri's men appear there for the taking, but that requires Celtic to rise to the Champions League challenge for the first time in a long time.

 

October 3, 2023