The Celtic squad goes into the third round of the UEFA Champions League with confidence and a dose of trepidation. Having celebrated a triumphant win at home against Slovan Bratislava, Brendan Rodgers' team came away from the tough test in Germany against Borussia Dortmund with a heavy defeat. Next on the agenda is Atalanta in Bergamo, one of the most disciplined and attacking teams in Europe. With the Italians in top form after their win of the Europa League last season, Celtic knows this will not be an easy match.
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Confidence is Key
Brendan Rodgers, for Celtic, speaks volumes on how important it is that the confidence should remain intact. "We deserve to be in this competition," he says. And rightly so. For a team like Celtic, making it to the Champions League group stages at this point is an achievement. Battling through every qualifying round and taking down resilient opponents to prove they can hold their own at the highest level of European soccer. Rodgers, though, knows just how hard keeping that confidence intact may be after defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
Confidence is fundamental in such high-level competitions as the Champions League. The belief of facing teams like Atalanta-who combine aggressiveness with tactical organization and offensive efficiency-is important. Rodgers makes it clear that such belief must be sustained throughout all the game, even in some difficult moments in Germany.
Tactical Challenge Against Atalanta
Atalanta isn't any team. The Italian side needs a strong tactical response. Rodgers insists that Celtic are going to have to be defensively firm and ready for the constant pressure Atalanta are known to exert. This includes, as he said, "being up for defending well, strong in the duels".
The main challenge will be how Celtic can balance their game between defense and attack. Against a really well-organized defensive team that also presses their opponents relentlessly, any mistake could prove costly. Atalanta is one of those teams that survives on the mistakes of their opponents; thus, Celtic should stay compact and focused in order not to get caught out.
Learning from the Borussia Dortmund Defeat
Rodgers said the loss to Dortmund was a good lesson. The coach admitted that the one-sided scoreline came about because of both Dortmund's confidence and their ability to take advantage of Celtic's early mistakes. "You don't want to be sitting in the dressing room feeling that again," Rodgers said, pointing out the bitter feeling of leaving the field after a crushing defeat.
Still, this defeat did not break the spirit of the team. Contrariwise, this defeat provided the needed experience to the players for further fights. According to the coach, the Champions League requires continuous development, and in this respect, Celtic is at the beginning. As Rodgers said, every game should be used to learn something new for the future, especially games that would not be the way it should be.
Team Harmony and Spirit
Rodgers also made it a point to highlight the strong unity of the team and the collective spirit. For him, this group dynamic could make all the difference in tough matches like the one against Atalanta. To the manager, the success card of Celtic lies in "tactical discipline," which he feels his team is not short of.
Unity is perhaps one of Celtic's strong selling points. The team has risen to every challenge that it has faced time and again, something that will prove to be crucial when it faces off against the Italians. Keeping disciplined and trusting in their abilities may prove to be the difference between leaving the pitch with a result and losing once more.
Pressure of Playing in Italy
To play in Italy is never easy, and Celtic are aware of that. Bergamo is a tough venue with an avid following for the home team, which knows exactly how to put pressure on the away teams. In this light, the thing that will be fundamental to Celtic is emotional balance for the entire 90 minutes. At this point, any distraction can prove fatal, above all against opponents that know how to maximize a favorable home-field advantage.
Rodgers knows that, but he also sees the great opportunity the result brings along. He considers this part of the team's evolution-to play in environments like this. Overcoming adverse situations, managing to deal with external pressure, and still being able to put on a show is what will give it that extra boost into becoming an elite side.