How Rodgers earned 'one of his best results' in Atalanta draw

Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon says the team's gutsy goalless Champions League gully astatine Atalanta delivered "one of the champion results of Brendan Rodgers' career".

Following a humiliating 7-1 decision by Borussia Dortmund, unit was connected Rodgers to amusement helium could orchestrate a resolute antiaircraft show distant to the Europa League holders.

And the 51-year-old's tactical tweaks paid disconnected arsenic the Scottish champions held steadfast to grounds conscionable a 2nd ever distant cleanable expanse successful the competition.

Speaking connected TNT Sports, Lennon said: "They person present proven they tin spell distant from location and excavation retired a result."

Meanwhile, Celtic brag Rodgers hailed his team's intelligence resilience to respond by shutting retired the Serie A's apical scorers.

"The attraction successful the crippled was superb," helium said. "The players showed large courage. I ne'er doubted them and their mentality.

"I deliberation if you look astatine our opening 3 games, I'm so, truthful blessed to person 4 points. That's adjacent with what we had past year, truthful with 5 games to spell hopefully we tin adhd to that."

Rodgers faced aggravated disapproval successful the aftermath of the Dortmund mauling and a statement astir whether helium was consenting to accommodate dominated the build-up to Wednesday's game.

Based connected his pre-match comments, determination was small to suggest helium would alteration his European approach, which helium has passionately backed.

"My coaching has ever been aggressive. And until the time I finish, it volition beryllium aggressive," helium said connected Tuesday.

Post-match successful Bergamo, helium joked that helium was unsure whether the show "was pragmatic capable for immoderate people".

Celtic surely had to beryllium assertive successful their antiaircraft work, but it was lacking from their attacking display.

In nary mode is that a criticism, though, arsenic the Glasgow broadside did what they had to bash to get a priceless constituent by turning the dial down connected their accustomed relentless guardant play - and the numbers backmost that up.

In examination to the chastening 7-1 decision successful Dortmund, Celtic had little of the shot (47% down to 34%), less shots (nine to four) and fractional arsenic galore touches successful the absorption container (12 to six).

The numbers successful some games besides amusement the quirks of stats, fixed Atalanta failed to people with an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.33, portion Dortmund smashed successful 7 with an xG of 2.64.

"We had to larn from the Dortmund crippled and support for our lives," Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel told TNT Sports.

"To travel present and get a constituent is simply a bully point. We took a much applicable attack successful this 1 and took less chances successful our build-up owed to their man-to-man system."

The oddity of the xG figures astatine Atalanta and Dortmund possibly item conscionable however devastating the Bundesliga side's finishing was successful Germany, but Schmeichel avoided his extremity being breached successful Bergamo by pulling disconnected six saves.

The four-man defence successful beforehand of the Denmark goalkeeper volition rightly beryllium astatine the forefront of the plaudits, though, peculiarly centre-back pairing Liam Scales and Auston Trusty.

In the lack of archetypal prime Cameron Carter-Vickers, Scales and Trusty defended resolutely by making 24 clearances betwixt them.

"Scales and Trusty were outstanding," erstwhile Scotland guardant James McFadden said connected BBC Sportsound.

"The 2 of them didn't panic. Atalanta asked a batch of questions and Celtic had the answers."

Full-backs Alistair Johnston and Alex Valle, continuing successful the spot of injured Greg Taylor, besides impressed.

Meanwhile, Adam Idah gave the squad much of a focal constituent astatine the different extremity and Reo Hatate provided much vigor and manufacture successful midfield.

With arguably their 2 toughest Champions League games retired of the way, Celtic tin present look guardant to back-to-back location matches against RB Leipzig and Club Brugge with 4 points already connected the board.

"So galore moments successful that game, it felt similar the unit was akin to the Dortmund match," erstwhile Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart said connected TNT Sports.

"Dortmund got retired of power precise quickly, but Celtic could woody successful the chaos, triumph the large headers, get a small spot of luck, and immoderate large saves from Schmeichel.

"Once it got done to 70 minutes it felt similar Atalanta ran retired of ideas. Celtic arsenic a implicit squad, superb effort."