Celtic boss says players are at top of their form

Brendan Rodgers encouraged as Hoops get ready to face ‘outstanding team’

Boss Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic are at the “best level they could be” going into the first leg of the Europa League last-32 showdown against Valencia at Parkhead tonight.

The Hoops are six points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership and have won all seven games since the turn of the year, scoring 21 goals and conceding none. Indeed, the Scottish champions have not lost a goal at home since a 2-1 win over Salzburg at Parkhead on December 13, all of which is encouraging the Northern Irishman.

He said: “We are at the best level we could be at in terms of the start we have made to the second part (of the season) and also to the level of our game.

“The intensity is at a really high level and irrespective of our opponents that is what we always try to achieve in the game, in terms of pressing the game and playing at a really high tempo and have that throughout the 90 minutes.

“So I don’t think the players could be in any better form coming into it. We have players missing through injury but we have had through the season and we just get on with it, do our work, and we prepare to win every game.”

Valencia are in eighth place in La Liga at the moment, 20 points behind leaders Barcelona. Boss Marceloni has been quoted as saying his squad is “tired” but Rodgers will not read too much into that.

The former Liverpool boss said: “Of course at this stage of the season you have been playing a lot of games. They will have that fatigue element at times.

“Look at the volume of games we have played and the intensity so you can have that fatigue but very quickly you get over that. When they walk into the stadium tomorrow night and they feel that atmosphere I am sure they will be as ready as us.

“But I understand where he is coming from because there is so much in the modern game in terms of what you are putting in, the recovery periods and then you are straight into another game.

“But they are an outstanding team and a team that will probably see themselves as one that can go far in the competition.

“They are not used to losing, they have only lost four (league) games this season. They have drawn some games but they are a very good side, packed with technical players, with good physicality.”

Rodgers insists his side should not be afraid if they concede to the Spanish side. He said: “We will try to win but if we can keep a clean sheet of course that always helps. Yes, we want to defend well but if you concede it doesn’t mean you can’t win away from home, of course it makes it more difficult.

“We can’t be frightened if we concede a goal because there are many ways you can concede. But the idea is to be really aggressive defensively, strong and compact and obviously look to be as creative and attacking as we can.”

Left-back Emilio Izaguirre returns to Celtic’s squad having shrugged off an ankle knock but midfielder Olivier Ntcham has a hamstring problem and is out.

Defender Jozo Simunovic has recovered from illness but left-back Kieran Tierney is still recovering from a hip problem.

Picture: SNS. Celtic’s Kieran Tierney, right , who is still recovering from a hip problem and will not feature against Valencia, shares a joke with his team-mates during a training session at Lennoxtown.