Rodgers cools any final talk

BRENDAN RODGERS last night dismissed talk of Celtic reaching this season’s Europa League final as premature. But the Parkhead boss is targeting progression from Group B and a minimum haul of ten points from their home and away clashes with Rosenborg, RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg. Celtic open their campaign against Norwegian champions Rosenborg in Glasgow on Thursday night after dropping down from

the Champions League. After two years of major challenges in Europe’s elite competition, some Celtic fans are dreaming of a repeat of their club’s run to the 2003 UEFA Cup final. Back then, hopes of silverware were dashed in Seville when Martin O’Neill’s side lost 3-2 in extra-time to Jose Mourinho’s Porto. But Rodgers insists it is too early to be dreaming of being in Baku next May. The Celtic boss said: ‘I see lots of stories and reports about us getting to the final. That’s a long way away. ‘You only have to look at the teams and the calibre of club and financial resources in this competition. ‘However, it’s the group stage and we have earned the right to be there. Now we have to fight to show we can come out of the group stage.’ Arsenal, AC Milan, Chelsea and Sevilla are also in the group stage and eight top teams will drop down from the Champions League. Given the disparity in wealth between his club and some of the European giants in the competition, Rodgers insisted comparisons with Celtic’s run to their last European final 15 years ago are unrealistic. ‘I just think, in terms of where it was for Celtic, then is totally different to where it’s at now,’ he told CelticTV. ‘Celtic were taking players out of the top end of the Premier League. So that tells you where they were as a club in terms of finance and that sort of ambition really. ‘Now, we are not any less ambitious but, of course, the football economics have changed totally. ‘It’s a different team, a different era that we are in but we are no less ambitious and we look forward to working with the players we have here to gain, hopefully, another run of great experiences in Europe this season.’ Celtic have knocked Rosenborg out of the Champions League summer qualifiers for the past two seasons. And midfielder Callum McGregor believes that gives Celtic a psychological advantage ahead of Thursday’s encounter. The Trondheim side left Glasgow with a goalless draw in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier a year ago only to be sunk by James Forrest’s spectacular winner in the return. A rematch in this season’s second qualifying round saw Celtic win 3-1 on aggregate. McGregor said: ‘I think the fact that we’ve eliminated them twice in the last two seasons gives us an advantage psychologically. ‘When you’ve played well and beaten opponents before then it gives you the belief that you can get more results against them. ‘We know that we can beat Rosenborg, so it’s up to us to turn up with the right attitude on the night.’