Brendan Rodgers sets sights on Champions League knockouts after Scottish Cup progress

Brendan Rodgers is relishing the chance to make Champions League progress this week after moving past Kilmarnock in their Scottish Gas Scottish Cup tie at Parkhead.

Skipper Callum McGregor's strike after 12 minutes was cancelled out by teenage Rugby Park striker Bobby Wales just before the break but Daizen Maeda struck in the 70th minute for a 2-1 win to take the Hoops into the fifth round.

Celtic start preparing to face Young Boys of Switzerland in their penultimate league phase game in European football's elite club competition at Parkhead on Wednesday night and it promises to be a memorable occasion.

The Hoops are 21st in the table with nine points from six fixtures and a win against the side sitting bottom without a point would secure a place in the play-off round and maintain hopes of a place in the top eight, with a final game against Aston Villa away to come.

Rodgers said: "Yes, we know what the objective was for the tournament this season.

"And I think we've done really well until this point, but we want to get over the line and into the knockout stages.

"It's going to be an amazing atmosphere, and I'm excited about the opportunity that we have.

"In the main, apart from Dortmund (7-1 loss), we've showed up well in this competition, and we want to keep that going.”

Rodgers admitted that his side were profligate in the victory over Killie - "the game should have been out of sight at half-time" - but was pleased with Auston Trusty's response to the criticism he levelled at him following the 3-3 draw at Dundee on Tuesday night.

Trusty was outjumped at Dundee's third goal with the Parkhead boss saying: "You're 6ft 4in, you have to deal with that better."

Rodgers was more impressed with his performance against Derek McInnes's men.

He said: "I talked to Auston Trusty the other night, and then you see his response, I thought it was excellent today.

"Big, strong, powerful, and that's what we expect from a Celtic centre-half.

“A lot of the time at Celtic, you may not have so much to do, especially at home.

"I always think that you get your chance to shine away from home, where you've got to stand up and be strong, and that's your bread and butter.

"Then there'll be times at home, like today, where you've got to stand up and be counted, and I thought he was brilliant at that.

"He knows exactly where he stands. These are men. They're not little boys. You can talk openly and honestly to them, and that's what every player will tell you. His response was excellent.”

Killie keeper Robby McCrorie was injured with less than a minute played and had to be replaced by Kieran O'Hara and manager Derek McInnes said: "Our biggest fear is that he’s fractured his cheekbone.

“He’s away getting an x-ray just now, but with the way the NHS is at the moment we might not know until Monday!

“The doctor seems to think it’s his cheekbone. We’re preparing ourself for the worst news with him.

“Then Brad (Lyons) going off with a hamstring – we came here depleted as well, the cards were stacked against us with the draw.

“When the team line came in from Celtic, I actually imagined that would be it. They were at full strength really – that’s maybe Celtic’s strongest team. We had to contend with that.

“We came here with a few injuries. We’re hopeful we’ll have Kyle Magennis back next week for the Hearts game and maybe Matty Kennedy."

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