Brendan: We’ll take the fight to Pep’s City
BRENDAN RODGERS says his Celtic players will get right in Manchester City’s faces this week.
The Hoops entertain the English title favourites in the Champions League on Wednesday night, looking to bounce back from their 7-0 thrashing in the group opener against Barcelona.
“It is going to be a great evening for the supporters and I can promise we’ll certainly be much more aggressive in our approach than we were the last time,” said the Celtic manager.
“It is fair to say we stood off Barcelona too much.
“When I came away from the game and analysed it, I noticed we were too passive in the game.
“We were set up to be super-aggressive because you’ve got to disrupt their game.
“We can’t go in and match Barcelona at the Nou Camp in football terms.
“This will be a similar version to Barcelona next week, not so fine-tuned but still at a level of player that is right up there with the best in Europe and we will be more aggressive.”
Rodgers’ mention of Barca’s Catalan home is significant – he believes the fact the Manchester City tie will be played out in front of nearly 60,000 Hoops fans gives his team a far greater chance of success.
“Over a number of years here at Celtic it’s been proven that it is a big advantage playing at home.
“Away, it’s been notoriously difficult.
“Something that, hopefully in my time here I can change somehow, but what the crowd give us at home is something special.”
Rodgers is likewise hopeful his affinity with an opponent who failed to sign him as a coach can help.
“I know the people well there,” he said.
“My first involvement with Manchester City in terms of coaching came back when I was out of work.
“I was approached to go in and be a No. 2 to Roberto Mancini who had a tough first season.
“So I met with them up at City’s ground and then I was invited to Milan to go and speak there with them.
“I wanted to be a manager, of course, but at that time there wasn’t a lot of possibilities.
“But after the chats and talks and everything it quickly went because I was offered the job at Swansea, so I went back to being the No. 1 again and that was the best thing for me.”