Celtic fans love nothing more than hearing the Champions League music belt out in Paradise and as Club Brugge comes visiting this week, there are just two sleeps to go until another big European night kicks off at Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers has a great chance of taking Celtic to the stage of the Champions League should the Bhoys beat the Belgian champions this week.
After the Hoops drew with Atalanta, Rodgers followed that up with a superb performance as Celtic hammered RB Leipzig 3-1 two weeks later.
Both of these results gave the Celtic support some renewed Champions League belief that their team can’t just participate in UEFA’s flagship tournament but that Rodgers can have his team competing amongst Europe’s best clubs.
But to do that, Celtic need players who are capable of playing at that level and Club Brugges Ferran Jutgla has pinpointed one as one of the best players on the continent.
Kasper Schmeichel pinpointed by Club Brugge star as ‘one of the best in Europe’
Jutgla told the Sunday Mail [print edition page 54]“This match looks very equal. A one-point advantage for Celtic isn’t a lot but it tells us this game will be difficult.
“We’ll go to Glasgow with good morale. To defeat Aston Villa was important for our team. It proved that Brugge aren’t just guests in the Champions League.
“We’re a club with a lot of pride who want to improve every game.
“Our challenge in the Champions League is to progress to the next phase. And I believe any points we can get at Celtic’s stadium will be really important for us in achieving that.
“Celtic are strong at home and the level of the Scottish game is better now than it was a few years ago.
“We don’t fear the atmosphere in Glasgow. It’s just football and I prefer a stadium that’s full of people with a lot of pressure.
“That helps increase your performance level.”
“Schmeichel is a great keeper and one of the best in Europe. And the work of the Japanese players is vital to how Celtic play.
“But Brugge are a good team who work for each other. We’re not just about one or two players.”
Club Brugge dish out seven-goal hammering of St Truidense ahead of Celtic Park Champions League visit
Brugge is currently sitting second in the Belgian Pro League six points behind former Celtic striker, Hyeongyu Oh’s Genk.
However, to prepare for their big Champions League Celtic Park clash on Wednesday night, Brugge dealt out a 7-0 thrashing to 12th-placed Belgian side St Truidense.
Four goals from Christos Tzolis were complemented by Hans Vanaken, Ardon Jashari and Raphael Onyedika as Brugge kept their title challenge alive.
Tzolis is one Alistair Johnston will need to keep tabs on as the left-winger has eight goals and two assists so far 20 games for the Belgians so the notion that this game could be a gimme by some fans has now just been blown out of the water by Brugge.
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