AdminCeltic’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, was left feeling frustrated and disappointed after his team’s goalless draw against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League. Despite dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities, Celtic failed to find the back of the net and secure a much-needed win.
Rodgers acknowledged that his team lacked quality in the final third of the pitch, which prevented them from converting their dominance into goals. He felt that Celtic’s players failed to show the necessary composure and clinical finishing in front of goal, which ultimately cost them the win.
“We needed to do more, but we know that, and that’s cool,” Rodgers said in his post-match interview. “We’re honest as a group. We know there was an opportunity for us there, but you have to show that little bit more in those moments when you arrive in there.”
Despite the disappointment of not winning the match, Rodgers was pleased with Celtic’s defensive performance, which ensured they kept a clean sheet. He felt that his team’s defense was solid and resilient, and that they dealt well with the pressure and intensity of the match.
The draw took Celtic to nine points from their six Champions League fixtures, with two matches remaining against Young Boys and Aston Villa. Rodgers recognizes that there is still work to be done to seal a place in the play-off round, and he is keen to ensure that his team remains focused and motivated for the challenges ahead.
“We’ve got two games left, and we need to make sure we’re ready for them,” Rodgers said. “We need to take the positives from this game and build on them. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and take our chances when they come.”
In a positive note, Rodgers played down fears that defender Alistair Johnston could miss Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers at Hampden. Johnston was forced to withdraw at half-time due to a hip flexor injury, but Rodgers is hopeful that he will recover in time for the final.
“I think it was his hip flexor, so nothing muscular which was good,” Rodgers said. “He just felt a bit of pain and at half-time there was no need to risk that. He got through to half-time really well. All going well that will settle down in the next couple of days.”
Rodgers’ comments will come as a relief to Celtic fans, who were worried that Johnston’s injury could rule him out of the highly anticipated match against Rangers. With Johnston’s fitness a major concern, Rodgers will be keeping his fingers crossed that his defender will be fit and ready to play on Sunday.
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