5 Reasons Celtic will beat Barcelona

2. Brendan Rodgers and his tactics

It cannot be forgotten that Brendan Rodgers is in his first season in charge of Celtic.

In many ways reaching the group stages was the achievement, and one which has been dulled by pulling such a brutal group.

The point is, like anyone starting a new job, Rodgers is learning as he goes. And Rodgers is learning.

To this point in a fairly trouble-free honeymoon period that has been bought by this qualification and domestic dominance, Rodgers has been really only drawn criticism for one mistake.

That was his early jettisoning of goalkeeper Craig Gordon in favour of Dorus de Vries. After de Vries failed to shine at the Camp Nou, Gordon was quietly inserted back into the starting line-up.

Rodgers is not a man who is afraid to admit he was wrong. The same applies tactically where he has used  everything from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-5-2 to a flat 4-4-2 at various points during the season.

Friday night’s 1-0 win at Kilmarnock with a makeshift team was a case in point. With Kieran Tierney injured and Emilio Izaguirre returning from international duty, Callum McGregor got the nod at left back.

Let’s be clear, McGregor is not a left back, but it worked.

Celtic got the points and key players were rested – in contrast to the first match which followed an emotional 5-1 Old Firm Derby win against Rangers.

Celtic have shown a mobility and flexibility under Rodgers that was previously missing, and may be enough to at least ask a question of Barca.