Brendan Rodgers says Celtic can 'hurt' Bayern Munich in the Champions League
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is convinced his side can transfer their goalscoring form into the Champions League knockout phase after taking their tally to 14 inside a week.
Daizen Maeda netted a hat-trick as a much-changed Celtic side warmed up for the visit of Bayern Munich on Wednesday with a 5-0 win over Raith Rovers in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup fifth round.
The victory followed convincing wins against Motherwell and Dundee in the league.
When asked if his side can find ways to hurt the German side in the first leg of the play-off at Celtic Park, Rodgers said: “I don’t have any doubt that we can. I think we’ve got goals. I think we’ve shown at all levels of competition, whether it’s home or domestic, we can score goals.
“We know we’re playing against some fantastic players and a team that’s top of the league and high in confidence in one of the top leagues. But in here, it will be supercharged Wednesday night, 60,000 souls will be with us and we’ll take the energy from that.
“We’ll do what I’ve always said. We’ll look to make it really, really difficult for Bayern and see where the game takes us.”
Maeda took his personal tally to six inside seven days and 50 overall for Celtic after starting at centre-forward as Adam Idah was rested.
The Japan attacker is suspended for Wednesday but showed his prowess in the central role as he filled in for Idah following the departure of his international team-mate, Kyogo Furuhashi, to Rennes.
Rodgers said: “If you’ve done any depth of analysis of this player before he arrived at Yokohama, you can see he’s a striker, you see he’s a goalscorer, wherever he plays along the front line.
“He’s done that in Japan, he was playing more central and you see his numbers. But not only that, if you watch all the goals he scored there, he’s mobile, can make runs, his movement’s good, he can finish. And he’s proven that.
“He’s a wonderful reference for our team, the value that we put in hard work, pressing, mentality and he’s getting goals regularly now.
“I know wherever he plays he’s got the skill set and the attributes to give me what the team needs.”
The only down side for Celtic was seeing Paulo Bernardo go off with a lower-leg injury, although the midfielder did not appear to be limping.
“Hopefully he’s okay,” Rodgers said. “I just spoke to Tim (Williamson), our medical head, he doesn’t think it’s as bad. It was a bit more precautionary really. He felt a slight twist in the tackle, but hopefully he’ll be okay.”
Rovers manager Barry Robson admitted the timing of the goals had killed his side’s hopes after Maeda netted inside six minutes and in first-half stoppage-time before Luke McCowan made it three 90 seconds into the second half.
Yang Hyun-jun also netted after delivering two assists before McCowan set up Maeda for his hat-trick.
Robson added: “I’m pleased with my players. They ran for the club, the fans turned out in huge numbers. And that isn’t Raith Rovers’ fight, against a team like that. Our fight’s at the weekend.
“So I’m glad the club’s made a lot of money and a lot of players have gained a good bit of experience from that as well.”
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