Victory against GNK Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia would give the Scottish champions their first meaningful win on their travels in the competition since Rodgers's side defeated Anderlecht 3-0 in Belgium back in 2017. A repeat of that would do nicely...thank you very much. No pressure Celtic!
It is shaping up to be a season-defining week in the context of Celtic's campaign with the outing against Dinamo Zagreb followed by a Glasgow derby League Cup final against Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday.
It does not get any bigger or better than this for Celtic. Can the Irishman and his charges reel off back-to-back triumphs and set themselves up for a special season?
All roads lead to the Maksimir Stadium tomorrow night for what could be a monumental European occasion for Celtic and Rodgers.
Who will the 51-year-old pitch into the heat of the Champions League battle for this one? The Celtic Way’s Ryan McGinlay and Tony Haggerty each have their say…
Ryan McGinlay
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What an opportunity Celtic and Rodgers have to put one foot into the last-16 of the Champions League – at the very least!
After a solid but perhaps disappointing draw versus Club Brugge last time out, the visitors to Zagreb and the Maksimir Stadium will be looking to secure all three points, which would all but secure European football after the league phase concludes next month.
In light of this, Rodgers will make a few changes, with some big calls to be decided upon by the manager. In goals, Kasper Schmeichel will remain after his weekend heroics in the league versus Hibernian. If Celtic are to pull off a rare away European victory, then this man will be key. Joining him in the defence will be Alistair Johnston at right-back, while Alex Valle will be preferred to Greg Taylor at left-back due to his explosiveness and ability to run at opponents. Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers will complete an all-American centre-back duo in the heart of the defence, as Liam Scales will make way.
In the midfield, two of Celtic’s three starters last Saturday will remain, as captain [Callum McGregor](https://www.celticway.co.uk/topics/callum-mcgregor/) will be joined by Arne Engels in the engine room, supported by the returning Reo Hatate, who was benched at Celtic Park. This midfield three brings dynamism, creativity and an ability to score goals from both deep positions and late runs into the box – Paulo Bernardo can feel hard done by again that he has not been named a starter here.
In the forward areas, Kyogo Furuhashi will lead the line for Rodgers’ side, supported by Daizen Maeda on the left and Nicolas Kuhn on the right. After scoring a wonderful goal at the weekend, Kyogo will be feeling like he can cause damage to an injury-ravaged Dinamo side, who are in a bit of a crisis domestically. Kuhn and Maeda will be asked to provide attacking flair and defensive cover – they may very well be the difference makers on the night.
Celtic to win by two, though there will be goals in this game for both sides on the night.
_Ryan’s team: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Valle; McGregor, Engels, Hatate; Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda_
Tony Haggerty
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There is a touch of the 'Carpe Diem' about this match for Celtic. Can Rodgers's side 'Seize the Day'?
The Scottish champions have produced every type of performance on the Champions League league phase stage thus far. A Bratislava battering, a doing in Dortmund, brave in Bergamo, electric against RB Leipzig, and unfulfilled against Brugge. What version of Rodgers's Celtic are going to turn up in Croatia?
With that in mind, Celtic have a tremendous chance of securing a play-off berth by gaining all three points against Dinamo Zagreb. Rodgers's side felt unfilled after the draw against Club Brugge last time out on European duty. The stalemate disappointed many but the learnings were there in that if you can't win games at this level then certainly don't lose them.
Rodgers will shuffle his pack once more after the weekend's unspectacular 3-0 Scottish Premiership win over Hibernian at Parkhead.
Schmeichel will remain the custodian between the sticks after he waged a one-man war and crusade against the capital club. His heroics rightfully earned him the man-of-the-match award but he will not want to be as busy as that come tomorrow night. The Great Dane remains a pivotal figure if Celtic are to get a positive result. Johnston will be deployed at right-back, while La Masia graduate Valle will replace Taylor at left-back. The Barcelona kid has tended to reserve his best Celtic performances for this level and he will get the nod. Trusty and Carter-Vickers will be reunited as Irishman Scales will have to be content with what the Americans dub 'warming the pine'...translated as a place on the bench.
In the midfield, captain [Callum McGregor](https://www.celticway.co.uk/topics/callum-mcgregor/) will retain his place and he will be joined by Belgian international Engels in the engine room. Engels's confidence levels will have been lifted after he scored his first goal from open play for Celtic against Hibs and that will surely do him the world of good. Both men will be supported by the returning Japanese playmaker Hatate, who despite his Pittodrie winning goal-scoring heroics last midweek was rotated for the Parkhead clash against the Edinburgh side. This is a trio in midfield who will be asked to bring the RB Leipzig levels of concentration, industry, endeavour, bravery, craft, skill and creativity to the table as they have that in their locker.
In attack, Kyogo will lead the line for Rodgers’ side after his wonderful and impressive little cameo against Hibernian. He showed tremendous technique and no end of skill to bag a sublime eighth goal of the campaign in all competitions on Saturday. The Japanese talisman will come back into the starting XI and replace Idah. German winger Kuhn will take his usual place on the right and Maeda will occupy the left flank. All three will be asked to be scorers, assistors, creators, and providers call it what you want but they will have to be ruthlessly clinical and efficient if chances come their way. Let's just see if Celtic can take advantage of a defence that is supposed to be ravaged by injury in the final third. Celtic to edge a close encounter by the odd goal in three and put one foot in the play-off round.
Carpe Diem? The time for talking is over. Perhaps another Latin phrase sums it up perfectly for Rodgers.
It's 'Acta, non verba' - 'deeds, not words' - that will hopefully guide Celtic through this one.
_Tony's team: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Valle; McGregor, Engels, Hatate; Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda_