Nicolas Kuhn scored a double as Celtic beat RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday night; Brendan Rodgers' side have seven points from their first four games; their next match is at home to Club Brugge on November 27
Wednesday 6 November 2024 12:36, UK
It was a high-tempo performance packed with quality so should Celtic's dismantling of RB Leipzig have them dreaming of the Champions League knockout stages?
Nicolas Kuhn might have shone the brightest but it was a real team display as the Hoops made it three straight home wins in the Champions League for the first time since 2007.
The Feyenoord victory last season was a dead rubber, the Slovan Bratislava win in their first game of this campaign was expected, but beating Leipzig was a real statement.
Celtic repeatedly asked questions and the Germans had no answers as Brendan Rodgers' side made it seven points from four games.
They are up to 13th in the revamped Champions League group-phase table and confidence is now growing that they can clinch a place in the knockout stages.
Former Hoops defender Mark Wilson told Sky Sports News:
"Celtic were sensational. They had a game plan, they executed it brilliantly and there was a lot to admire about them.
"You talk about mental strength in the game and how you deal with blows. They go 1-0 behind and you think they're really up against it, but they stuck to the game plan and their speed of play was really impressive.
"You need to get the goals at the right time and Nicolas Kuhn, a man in form, gets them back in the game with a wonderful curling effort then that goal right before half-time changes everything.
"A fantastic win for Celtic and one of Brendan Rodgers' finest, no doubt."
Sky Sports' Luke Shanley at Celtic Park:
"They got the balance right between defence and attack and, after going ahead, they didn't really look like conceding. But they absolutely certainly looked like scoring a third goal and they got it through Reo Hatate.
"Celtic could have scored many a time in that second half and that is the big plus point for Celtic now. They're trying to make Celtic Park a fortress again in the Champions League.
"That's now three home wins in a row in the Champions League - Feyenoord from the last game of last season, then against Slovan Bratislava to start the campaign, now RB Leipzig.
"It has given them a real chance of qualifying for at least the play-off stage of the Champions League in this new format. The home form will be important and the next game is at Parkhead against Club Brugge.
"They certainly have confidence and belief.
"They bounced back well after that big defeat against Borussia Dortmund over in Germany, a draw in Italy against the Europa League holders Atalanta and now a win against a team who are second in the Bundesliga. That was a big result."
Rodgers always insisted he returned to help Celtic not only dominate domestically but also make a "breakthrough" in the Champions League, and so far he is being proved right.
Last season was a tough learning curve. While they won their first home group-stage game in 10 years - beating Feyenoord - they last won on the road in 2017, during Rodgers' first spell at the club.
He insisted Celtic were heading in the right direction to "break this barrier and bridge this gap" to Europe's elite. Perhaps he knew this summer would help that.
Celtic smashed their record transfer by signing Arne Engels for £11m, while Adam Idah returned permanently in a deal worth up to £9.5m. Auston Trusty moved from Sheffield United for £6m, while Paulo Bernardo, Luke McCowan, Kasper Schmeichel, Alex Valle and Viljami Sinisalo also joined in the transfer window.
Like Rodgers promised, the Hoops are stronger now than they were before the transfer window opened. Celtic have the tools they need to not only enjoy domestic dominance but also have a crack at progressing in the Champions League - as those special nights under the lights return to Glasgow's East End once again.
To finish in the top 24, which guarantees a play-off spot at least, Opta believes 10 points - so three wins and a draw, or other combinations - will almost certainly guarantee a place in that round.
Nine points - so three wins from eight games, or other combinations - could be enough to finish 24th, with that points tally being enough in 69 per cent of the simulations.
But just eight points - so two wins and two draws, or other combinations - runs the risk of elimination, with that points tally being sufficient in just 16 per cent of the simulations.
So teams will be targeting at least three wins from eight to give them the best possible chance of reaching the Champions League knockout rounds.
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will take place in Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 31, 2025.
