Rodgers aiming to write familiar Pittodrie script
BRENDAN RODGERS sizes up today’s trip to Pittodrie and recognises a familiar narrative. The story goes something like this — a weary Celtic, tired from a heavy European defeat, haul themselves to the north east vulnerable to attack from an Aberdeen team desperate to eat into their lead at the top of the Premiership table.
At the end of a seven-day spell that featured a 3-0 reverse at Bayern Munich and a pulsating six-goal League Cup semi-final thriller against Hibs, Rodgers’ team were supposed to be on their last legs on their previous visit to face Derek McInnes’s men.
Instead they produced their most devastating domestic performance of the season, with Kieran Tierney and Moussa Dembele (2) netting the goals.
‘Every time we have played Aberdeen there has always been a story around us going there,’ smiled Rodgers. ‘That it might be their chance. But we go there with a real positive mentality.’
On the back of a Europa League exit to Zenit, you sense he enjoys the opportunity to flex his team’s muscles.
Rodgers’ Celtic have won each of their eight encounters with Aberdeen over the past couple of seasons, including two cup final victories that consigned the Dons to runner-up status in each domestic competition last term.
Celtic lost 3-0 in St Petersburg on Thursday night, but their preparation around the second-leg tie was scheduled with this afternoon in mind. Rather than head straight to Pulkovo Airport for a night flight home, Celtic instead retreated to the team hotel to recover.
‘We stayed overnight so the players could get back to the hotel, have a meal and a good sleep,’ Rodgers explained. ‘We recovered in the morning and then flew back.
‘We know this is a tough game but we played exceptionally well up there earlier in the season on the back of a difficult game — that was maybe going to be Aberdeen’s opportunity.
‘It’s still a very difficult place to go. They will be disappointed with their last performance and result against Hibs, so they will look to respond. It makes for a good game. The pitch doesn’t look in real good condition but we will look to get a performance and pick up three points.’
Although Celtic are on track to make history by becoming the first Scottish team to pull off consecutive Trebles, their dominance has not quite been so pronounced this term.
Thursday’s three-goal defeat to Zenit was symptomatic of the defensive problems that contributed to domestic defeats to Hearts and Kilmarnock. Win today and Aberdeen could cut the gap to six points, a situation Rodgers is eager to avoid.
‘It’s been a really demanding season physically and mentally,’ he continued. ‘But we have always tried to be very honest in defeat. We didn’t play well on Thursday in both aspects of the game.
‘But now we have a clear run. We have been in four competitions, which was a great effort by the players.
‘We have won one already, so now we focus on the end of the season. We have a great opportunity to create another piece of remarkable history and our idea is to do it.
‘We have great games to finish and we want to go and attack them. The players have been brilliant. Okay, they might not always be at their best but they give their best.’
One man hungry to see through Celtic’s quest for another clean sweep is Kristoffer Ajer. The young defender was on loan at Kilmarnock last term as Rodgers’ side swept all comers aside, and was an unused substitute when the club lifted the League Cup with victory over Motherwell in this season’s final back in November.
The young Norwegian was trusted to start in both legs against Zenit and should start this afternoon.
‘It is a big game for us and for Aberdeen too,’ said the 19-year-old. ‘They are one of the teams up at the top of the table and will see this as a chance to cut our lead.
‘We have a great record against them but that leaves us in no doubt that they will be up for the match.
‘They have done really well and their form has been very consistent throughout the season. We know from the Scottish Cup final last season how much of a threat they can be, so we will have to be at our best.’