Brendan Rodgers, who presides over Celtic, possesses an earnest conviction that his squad carries the potential to pull off a surprise victory in Dortmund, especially after observing their continued exceptional performance this season, demonstrated by a robust 6-0 triumph over St Johnstone in Perth on the recent Saturday.
The reigning champions brushed aside their adversaries, a feat enabled by Kyogo Furuhashi’s brace and contributions from Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, Daizen Maeda and the Irish star, Adam Idah.
The goals achieved stood out for their supreme grade of artistic, composed, and technical prowess involved in their execution, reflecting increased morale as they approach the crucial Tuesday’s Champions League face-off with Borussia Dortmund at Westfalenstadion.
As of now, Rodgers’s team has tallied 33 goals in nine victories across all tournament forms this season and has kept their sheet clean in the league.
Speaking about the possibility of success in Germany, Rodgers pondered, “Why not? We boast good qualities in our side, including the physical health and the athleticism.
“We’re aware that we’ll face stressful times when we play away, but we demonstrate a mindset in our defensive approach and the rigidity and compactness of our side.
“Thus, in those instances when we need to uphold that, we know the moment you recover, your frontline is swift enough to cause severe damage.
“However, we don’t disregard the fact that this is going to be a magnificent opportunity for us to put ourselves to the test against an elite squad and distinguished players. I’m thrilled for it.”
Dortmund, in their preparations, secured a 4-2 win against Bochum in the Bundesliga.
“I caught their game on Friday evening, and the mentality stands out, as they overcome a 2-0 deficit, turning it into a 4-2 win,” Rodgers mentioned.
“Without a shred of doubt, we’re facing an exceptionally formidable team, consisting of first-rate players, but I am eager to see how we fare against that.
“I believe we can generate opportunities, I believe we can net in goals, and that will be our strategy going into the match.”
Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers was once again absent in Perth due to a toe ailment and his participation in the upcoming continental match remains uncertain. However, recent recruit Auston Trusty put up a notable performance, stepping in for him.
Rodgers commented, “Auston did a remarkable job when he filled in. His speed and strength were evident and though he usually plays on the right, his game demonstrated good equilibrium and he performed supremely well. Thus, if Cam is unable to play, we have a ready replacement in Auston.”