Brendan Rodgers hailed the courage of his Celtic players after they dug in for a valuable Champions League point against Europa League winners Atalanta.
Mauled 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund in their last away game, they maintained outstanding levels of concentration and discipline to repel the highest-scoring team in Serie A and eke out a 0-0 draw.
It was only the club’s second clean sheet at this stage of the tournament, and the first time they’ve left Italy undefeated in the competition.
Now, four points from three games have strengthened hopes of a place in the play-off round of the new format.
‘The concentration in the game was superb, and you need to have it,’ said Rodgers. ‘The talent (Atalanta) have, you’re talking about the highest goalscorers in Italian football.
‘So to come here, play with that concentration, that commitment, and still carry a threat, and the danger when we had the ball, was very, very pleasing.
Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for Liam Scales after Celtic’s goalless draw with Atalanta
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‘The players showed great courage, concentrated on defending the box well. It was a really, really good point for us.’
A huge contrast with Dortmund — when Celtic were 5-1 down by half-time — Rodgers felt his players learned lessons from a bruising night in Germany.
‘I’d reiterated it to them after that game that we didn’t want to feel like that again,’ he said.
‘But I felt there were things that were outwith their control in that game. In Dortmund, we had two penalties against us and a couple of deflected goals. So, all of a sudden, you are four goals down and it’s a challenge.
‘But I never doubted the players and the mentality. We responded straight after and won our next game. And then we come away to a team that are so, so efficient going forward, with the quality and power they have. For our players to stand up and fight, and have that dignity in the performance, I was so proud of them.’
Missing injured Cameron Carter-Vickers, the central defensive partnership of Liam Scales and Auston Trusty excelled under relentless pressure. ‘The two centre-halves made some big, big headers,’ added Rodgers. ‘Scalesy has been doing that for a long time. He defends the box so well.’
On Trusty’s best display in a Celtic shirt, Rodgers said: ‘The guy is filling in and doing amazing, playing off his unnatural side. He’s playing on that right side. Clearly, he’s a left-sided defender. But what he gives us is a physicality. He can win the race, so he won’t get outdone for pace. And you see him tonight, when balls come into the box.’
With Dortmund and Atalanta perceived to be Celtic’s most difficult games, a point to add to the opening-night win over Slovan Bratislava enhanced hopes of a top-24 finish, which guarantees a play-off place.
‘If you look at our opening three games and to have four points, I’m so happy with that,’ added Rodgers.
‘The first game, they were absolutely brilliant. They had everything, offensive, defensive. The Dortmund game speaks for itself. We’ve come away to a top team with big talents and kept a clean sheet.
‘We have five games to go. Hopefully, we can look to our next game (at home against RB Leipzig on November 5) and gain more points. But it’s a really big confidence boost.’
Celtic’s £5million summer signing Trusty withstood a barrage of Atalanta crosses, and ‘loved’ the experience.
‘That’s a strong point in my game. If they want to cross it, so be it,’ said the defender. ‘The more the merrier.
‘You have to be a little bit crazy to choose centre-back. You’re put in these situations where you have to win the ball with your head and make last-minute tackles and sometimes dangerous tackles. I’d be lying if I said I don’t love it.’
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