Greed, Hunger, Mentality – Brendan Rodgers On Historic European Night For Celtic

Celtic kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing Slovan Bratislava 5-1 at a packed Celtic Park.

The result, a historic one for the Hoops, marked their biggest ever win in the group stages of the competition and left the fans dreaming of further European success. Despite facing the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, there were still pre-match nerves among supporters, given Celtic’s previous European struggles. However, Brendan Rodgers’ men delivered a stunning performance, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and never letting go. – indeed the former Leicester City manager praised their greed, hunger and mentality after the record-breaking performance.

From the first whistle, Celtic were in control. A patient build-up culminated in early chances for Daizen Maeda and Kyogo, but it was Liam Scales who broke the deadlock after just 16 minutes with a towering header from Arne Engels’ corner. Slovan Bratislava, managed by Vladimir Weiss, who famously masterminded Artmedia’s shock win over Celtic 18 years ago, looked completely outmatched. And they could thank their goalkeeper Dominik Takac for keeping the scoreline from getting even worse, with multiple saves, especially against Kyogo, keeping Bratislava just about in the game.

The second half saw Celtic unleash their full attacking potential. Just two minutes after the restart, Kyogo got on the scoresheet, capitalizing on a perfect ball across the box from Nicolas Kuhn. Engels added a third from the penalty spot after Alistair Johnston was brought down in the box, and though Kevin Wimmer briefly reduced the deficit for the visitors, it was all Celtic from that point forward. Daizen Maeda made it 4-1 with a cool finish after a sublime through ball from Reo Hatate, and Adam Idah wrapped up the win, firing home his first goal for the club to make it five.

Another man with the same name, Vladimir Weiss, got heated on the field as well as his manager getting pressure of it. His history with Rangers meant he was never going to get a warm reception at Celtic Park, and the winger felt the pressure from the stands all night. Boos rained down on him every time he touched the ball, and it seemed to affect his team’s composure on the pitch. Alistair Johnston, in particular, took it upon himself to wind Weiss up, delivering a crunching challenge that earned him a booking and set the tone for a feisty encounter.

Weiss struggled to assert any control as Celtic’s dominance grew, and by the end of the match, Johnston had well and truly put the Bratislava winger’s tactics to bed. Brendan Rodgers’ side rose above the physical battle, letting their quality shine through in a commanding display.

The result sent a message to the rest of the group: Celtic are here to compete. Brendan Rodgers was ecstatic after the match, praising his side’s performance: “I’m so happy. It was an absolutely outstanding performance and result. The greed of the players, the hunger, the pressing, the counter-pressing, just the mentality of the team, I was so proud.”

“You can see we’ve got young players at the level so it’s that, it’s the whole build up around Champions League and what that brings so you just maybe try and be a little bit safe with your touch and your pass and then we just tried to reiterate that we don’t have to do anything special, and just be us and just play our game. Don’t complicate the game.”

Site Opinion – Dominant Display

Celtic’s performance against Slovan Bratislava was nothing short of exceptional. Brendan Rodgers has built a side full of energy, hunger, and attacking verve. The team’s desire to press high, win back possession quickly, and constantly create chances was evident throughout the match. It’s clear that Celtic are aiming for more than just participation in this year’s Champions League.

The signing of Arne Engels looks like a masterstroke. His influence in midfield and contribution to both goals and assists adds a new dimension to Celtic’s play. If the Hoops can maintain this level, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with both domestically and in Europe.