Rodgers delighted with team display in final European game

Manager Brendan Rodgers spoke of his side’s performance against Manchester City after Celtic bowed out of the Champions League.

Their final game was a dead rubber in the Champions League this season as the outcome of the group was already decided following matchday five.

Winger Patrick Roberts, who is currently on-loan from City, put the away side up after just four minutes. Though Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho levelled the scoring minutes later.

The Celtic boss was quoted by the BBC after the game and gave his thoughts on his team’s performance.

I thought it was a brilliant team performance. City want to pressure you and get up close to you but I thought our possession, control and positioning was very, very good.

We pressed, forced City to play a lot of long balls, won the ball back and then built our game up. We showed great composure. The energy and quality of our game was at a real high level.

Overall, I’m delighted with our passing, speed and movement and fundamentally, you have to be really well organised at this level and I thought how the players concentrated throughout the game was very, very good.

The draw means that Celtic finish bottom of Group C with a total of three points from the six games, just two behind third placed Monchengladbach who secured Europa League football after Christmas.

Rodgers guided his Celtic team to the Champions League group stages in his first season after being appointed manager last May.

The Bhoys can now focus on wrapping up the league title, as well as beginning on their path to clinching the Scottish Cup.

Celtic travel to Firhill stadium on Friday night and will look to extend their lead at the top of the table to 11 points and also have three games in hand over second place.