Rodgers Confident Ahead of Borussia Dortmund Clash: “We Go with No Fear”

Brendan Rodgers has his sights set on Celtic’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening, approaching the fixture with confidence despite the daunting task ahead. The Celtic manager spoke ahead of the trip to Germany, where his side will face a club known for its incredible atmosphere and rich footballing history at the Signal Iduna Park.

Coming off the back of a coMMAnding win over St Johnstone in the league, Rodgers believes Celtic are ready for the challenge. “Yeah, we’re very excited,” he told Celtic YouTube. “Clearly, our focus was on the St Johnstone Game, and now we’ve sort of refined our plan for this Game tomorrow night, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

The atmosphere at Dortmund’s home ground, famous for its ‘Yellow Wall,’ is often regarded as one of the most intimidating in European Football. Rodgers was quick to draw a comparison with Celtic Park, underlining how both clubs are steeped in Footballing tradition and boast passionate faNBAses.

“I think it’ll be very much a stadium like Celtic Park. Celtic breathes Football, and everything I’ve heard and seen of that stadium as well, it’s very much a real historical Football stadium. So, we’re looking forward to the challenge of that first and foremost,” Rodgers stated.

While the focus on the atmosphere is inevitable, Rodgers stressed that the real test will come on the pitch. Borussia Dortmund are Champions League veterans and were finalists not too long ago, making them formidable opponents. Rodgers was full of respect for the German side, acknowledging their quality but remaining determined to impose Celtic’s own style of play.

Celtic’s Dortmund Challenge

“They’ve got really, really good players and obviously one of the teams that’s up there competing for the elite competitions in the world,” Rodgers admitted. “But for us, this is about us going and looking to make it really, really difficult for them at home. We come off the back of a fantastic first game at this level, and we can take big confidence from that.”

Rodgers’ philosophy is clear: Celtic won’t sit back, but rather take the game to Dortmund and play their own brand of football, regardless of the calibre of their opponents. He emphasised the importance of staying true to the club’s identity while recognising the level of the opposition.

“We want to go and impose our style in the game and look to, like I say, make it really difficult. Because what I know is that after the game, whether we win, lose, or draw, we’re still a very, very good team and a team that has still got a lot of development and a lot of improvement to make.”

Rodgers’ confidence stems from Celtic’s positive start in Europe this season, and the belief he has in his squad to rise to the occasion. The trip to Germany presents a significant test, but Rodgers’ message is clear: the Hoops are ready to face it head-on, with no fear.

“We can go into the game with no fear. We always respect every opponent that we play, and no more so than teams at the very highest level. However, we want to go and impose our style in the game,” he reiterated.

With Celtic’s travelling support set to descend on Dortmund, Rodgers wished the fans a safe journey, hoping to reward their loyalty with a performance to be proud of.

“Hopefully, we can make them proud and have a great performance,” he concluded.