Arizona Tribune - Rodgers hopes to make Bayern 'hurt' at Celtic

Celtic reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years by finishing 21st in the new 36-team league phase table.

Rodgers has hoovered up domestic trophies during two spells with the Scottish champions but was determined to make progress in the Champions League.

He won just two games in his first three campaigns with Celtic in the competition, but three victories in eight matches this season secured progress to the play-offs.

The might of the Bundesliga leaders over two legs is a daunting task for Rodgers' men, but he wants Europe's best to fear the trip to Glasgow once more.

"It's great. It's where I wanted to take the club back to," Rodgers said ahead of Wednesday's first leg at Celtic Park.

"It's not just a tick-box exercise for players to come and say they've played at Celtic Park.

"You want them to hurt in this arena as well and you want them to find the challenges of that combination between the supporters and the players on the pitch, making it a really, really, really difficult night."

Celtic received a huge boost on Monday when top scorer Daizen Maeda was cleared to play in the first leg.

The Japan international had been due to serve the second of a two-match ban for a red card against Young Boys in the penultimate game of the league phase.

However, Celtic won their appeal to reduce the suspension to one match.

"It's such a great bit of news that we got," added Rodgers. "He's an extraordinary player.

"How he's been this year for us, not just in goals, but what his value gives to the team in terms of his pressing and his honesty to the game.

"So to have that mentality and that ability available was a big surprise for us, but a nice surprise."

K.Hill--AT