“We had a beer and then got back to training,” Brendan Rodgers

The Celtic Star

·22 February 2025

“We had a beer and then got back to training,” Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers yesterday revealed what he said to his Celtic players after Tuesday’s heartbreaking result at the Allianz Arena…

Celtic players pose for a photo on pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Despite earning an exceptional 1-1 draw with Bayern, Vincent Kompany’s side booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League courtesy of Alphonso Davies’ stoppage time equaliser with virtually the last kick of the game.

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‘It’s a real sign of how we’ve developed’

Rodgers outlined in his media conference yesterday afternoon what he told his players after the Hoops’ brutal elimination from Europe’s elite club competition: “After the game, I said to the players that it’s a real sign of how we’ve developed – that we’re sat in here at this stage of this competition against a club of this magnitude and we’re really disappointed.”

Celtic warm up prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

“But I said that to come and perform that well we must draw the positives on that. Now we look forward and we’ve got two titles more to play for back home and we’ve got a few months to go. So let’s finish off on what can be an absolutely brilliant campaign for us.”

‘You can hold your head up so proud’

“I said you can hold your head up so proud because you think of the level of the opponent and the team and what you look for in this game is respect. You’ll come off the pitch and these guys will respect you for what you did over the couple of games and these guys will be challenging for maybe the Champions League itself.”

“So for that, again the disappointment was there naturally because of the nature of how the game ended. But no, I said to the players for us to be sat here feeling like this, it really shows how far you’ve come really because I looked in their eyes after the Dortmund game and that was a real tough one. So it just showed you the mentality and the resilience and the grit that this team have.”

Celtic warm up prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

‘We had a beer and then got back to training the next day’

“They overcame that, recovered from the setback and then pushed on and we went back to the hotel, we had a beer and then got back to training the next day.”

Rodgers’ men return to action this lunchtime with a tough outing at Easter Road. Currently unbeaten in 10 domestic matches, Hibs will prove to be tough opposition for the Scottish champions.

If three points are secured, Celtic will be 16 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table piling on the pressure before their nearest challengers play in the afternoon.

Conor Spence