Football
PA Sport 8y

Celtic can learn from record defeat against Barcelona - Brendan Rodgers

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was disappointed with his side's 7-0 Champions League defeat to Barcelona, but believes they can learn lessons from the loss and become stronger.

Lionel Messi netted a hat trick, with teammate Luis Suarez bagging a brace, while a goal apiece from Neymar and Andres Iniesta completed the scoring for the Spanish giants at the Nou Camp.

Celtic's best chance to score came with a penalty at 1-0 down, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved Moussa Dembele's weak effort.

Rodgers, whose Scottish Premiership side beat Old Firm rivals Rangers 5-1 at the weekend, told BT Sport: "We put a huge effort into the weekend and got a fantastic victory.

"It's always going to be really, really tough in your next game to probably the best possession team in the world.

"I think in the first half we had a critical moment in the game. We went 1-0 down very early and then got a great chance and I think if you get the penalty and get it to 1-1 then it makes it a little bit nervy, especially after them losing at the weekend.

"But, of course, not long after that they got the second goal and I think in the second half we ran out of legs to be honest.

"The game at the weekend added to the immense quality they have in their game and it obviously becomes very difficult and then the scoreline by the end is bitterly disappointing.

"There's a lot to take from the game for the players in terms of technique, in terms of simplicity and quality and lots of things to learn for them from the game.

"There can be no embarrassment because they do that to better teams than ourselves. Professionally it is never nice when it happens."

``We gave away the goal early, but I thought we came back into the game and once we started to get a bit of belief and confidence to pass the ball we started to create opportunities.

"The pitch is fantastic. The ball moves as if it is on an ice rink and they move as fast as that, they are high-level, top players with big belief and that is why they are what they are.''

Rodgers was not for blaming Dembele for failing with the penalty.

He said: "I think credit to the goalkeeper. Moussa was happy to accept the responsibility and the keeper read it and made a good save and that probably needed to go our way.

"But you can't be too downhearted. We have had a brilliant start to the season and this won't hamper us in any way, you will always take the positives from it.''

^ Back to Top ^