Brendan Rodgers has stressed that Celtic’s unbreakable spirit can help them defy the odds in the Champions League.
Rodgers admitted his side have not been at their best so far this season and they have ongoing issues in central defence ahead of Tuesday’s Group E opener against Feyenoord in Rotterdam.
Nat Phillips is a doubt with an ankle issue, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh are all ruled out, leaving Liam Scales and recent signing Gustaf Lagerbielke as the only two definite options for Rodgers.
Celtic are the group outsiders behind Atletico Madrid, Lazio and the Dutch champions but Rodgers is targeting progression of some sort and possibly in the Champions League.
“I think success for us as a club is to be in Europe after Christmas,” he said. “That is what our aim is. Whatever competition that is in, as long as we are in Europe after Christmas, that is our aim.
“But anything is possible in the group. We look to be competitive in all the games.
“I think it’s one where anything is possible.
“People ask you to forecast what it is you want to do and what you want to achieve but I think that how we want the play the game with our competitive spirit, that’s important in the Champions League because you are playing against top teams.
“We have seen already this season that the spirit of this team will never be broken.
“You have to have that at this level when you are a team like ourselves coming into it, when people want to dismiss you in the tournament.
“It’s about being competitive, you have to work very hard, you have to work very smart, and let’s see where it takes us.”
Rodgers was not one to play defensively in Europe in his first spell as Celtic manager and predecessor Ange Postecoglou did not compromise any of his attacking principles last season as Celtic collected two points from a group campaign that promised more.
When asked whether he would adapt on European nights this season, the former Leicester manager said: “We are not at peak Celtic, I would say.
“We have got a long way to go before I think we will be where I am happy where I want us to be.
“However, what the players have shown is that flexibility.
“In terms of style, I don’t think there is a massive difference in terms of how the players have been asked to work. I just think it takes time and understanding for that to grow, and obviously of course it’s about players as well.
“You bring players back into the squad who are out of injured and of course the football can look different because you maybe have more dynamism and more flexibility and more movement.
“But stylistically at this level, we want to play the game to our DNA, which is be aggressive when we are attacking and have that conviction when we attack.
“And that all comes from when you defend. You have to have that collective responsibility and collective resilience and, if you have that in your defending, then you can look to show that in your attacking play.
“We know there’s times we are going to be under pressure, especially away from home, but of course we want to give Feyenoord a problem when we have the ball as well.”
Phillips saw his debut cut short on Saturday when he injured his ankle towards the end of the first half against Dundee.
The on-loan Liverpool defender was replaced by Lagerbielke at half-time, although he was only scheduled to play an hour in his first appearance since his move.
He trained at Celtic Park on Monday but Rodgers later said at the De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam: “Nat has rolled his ankle so we will just have to see on that.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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