Unconvincing Celtic stumble into Europa League
● Celtic into Europa League but players told they ‘have long way to go’ to reach required standard
Brendan Rodgers admitted it was difficult to feel any pride in Celtic’s qualification for the last 32 of the Europa League after they finished their Champions League group stage campaign with another home defeat.
The Scottish champions clung onto third place in Group B, despite being outplayed and at times outclassed by Anderlecht in the 1-0 loss. The Belgian champions needed a three-goal margin of victory to snatch the consolation prize of a place in next Monday’s Europa League draw.
Celtic will be unseeded for the tie, which will take place on 15 and 22 February, and their possible opponents include Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal and CSKA Moscow.
But Rodgers, pictured inset, has tempered any expectations of a lengthy run in the tournament by his players, many of whom he feels remain some way short of the standard required for significant European success.
“I don’t think we were spooked tonight, we just weren’t very good in our game,” said Rodgers. “Their movement technically was better than ours. We wanted to start game fast but didn’t. Our technique was poor. The players could not play quickly enough and needed five or six touches on the ball.
“You have to see the game much quicker when you get to this level. Some of the players were short in their decision-making and we were not so good. Some of them think they are Champions League players, but this is a good leveller for some of those guys to reflect on the performance and be better.
“There is a story for some of our players in that they have a long way to go before they can call themselves players at this level. But we’ve shown over the course of this campaign that we can be better.”
Jozo Simunovic’s 62nd minute own goal settled the game in Anderlecht’s favour.
“Overall, the best team won, they were better than us,” Rodgers said. “But over the bigger picture, our aim at the beginning of the competition was to get through to the Europa League and finish third in the group.
“We have done that. There is immense pride but it’s hard to feel that when you’ve lost.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp accepts there are no guarantees his side will progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League, despite the odds being stacked in their favour.
A draw at home to Spartak Moscow in their final group match tonight would be enough to put them through, while a win would ensure they top the table, but Klopp is taking nothing for granted.
Three years ago they needed to win at home to Basel to progress, but a draw dropped Brendan Rodgers’ side into the Europa League and the current Reds boss is keen for the focus to avoid any slip-ups after conceding a three-goal half-time lead in Seville last time out meant missing out on early qualification.
He would not even let more questions about Philippe Coutinho’s future – “not one second have I thought about it” – or Sunday’s looming Merseyside derby deflect from the task at hand.
“We are only part of the Champions League because we want to go to the next round,” he said as Liverpool look to make the knockout stage for the first time since 2009.
“All good and bad things that happened in the Champions League – mostly good – have brought us to this situation and if we win we are through and that is cool.
“I know a lot of people might think we should be already through but that’s not life. It is not ‘if ’ and ‘when’, it is about the moment. Spartak could say the same as they gave away four points against Maribor, so they would be in a different situation.
“We are stronger than we were when we played them but they are stronger as well, in a good moment in the league, and they have some very important offensive players back, so it will be an exciting game. You don’t have guarantees in life but if you don’t try all you get is nothing so let’s try all and we will see where it leads us to.”
Klopp insists he will play his strongest team, despite Sunday’s derby at home to an Everton side buoyed by the appointment of new permanent manager Sam Allardyce.
That starting XI is likely to include playmaker Coutinho, who continues to be surrounded by speculation of a renewed bid from Barcelona after the Catalan club’s failure to sign him in the summer.
Klopp was asked what made him so sure Coutinho would still be at the club in February but he dismissed the question.
“Nothing – but I don’t think about it. I think about the Moscow game,” he added.
“Not one second have I thought about that so far. I am not unsure, I am not sure, I don’t think about it.
“No one knows what will happen in the ‘nice and calm’ January transfer window. It’s nice from an outside view, but I have absolutely nothing to say.”
Klopp is also optimistic of having Ragnar Klavan and Joe Gomez back to bolster his defence, which is likely to mean Scotland full-back Andrew Robertson drops out of the team again after a rare start in Saturday’s 5-1 win at Brighton. Klavan and Gomez were ill, the former barely fit enough and Gomez not even making the squad.
“They are much better. They were in training yesterday and I expect them in training today. Ragnar and Joe are back – Joel Matip not and Adam Lallana not,” he said. Forward Sadio Mane, pictured, is expected to return after being rested at the weekend and the Senegal international is targeting a victory to progress as group winners.
“For us it is very important. It is still possible so we will try,” he said. “Every game is important for us.”
PROSPECTS “It will be an exciting game. You don’t have guarantees in life but if you don’t try all you get is nothing so let’s try all and we will see where it leads us to”
JURGEN KLOPP