Celtic vs Bayern Munich LIVE: Champions League team news and line-ups ahead of play-off tie

Celtic boss Brendan Rogers believes his side have improved in Europe this season and are starting to take their domestic form into the Champions League.

“Bayern are one of the giants of the European game, they really are footballing royalty in terms of what they’ve achieved over many, many years at this level.

“So for us to be in a position to challenge them is a great marker. [What gives me confidence is] the way we mix up our game as well as our running power and physicality, which is something that we’ve really improved on at this level.”

Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic can “hurt” Bayern Munich if they can harness the power of Parkhead tonight.

“I go back to the Young Boys’ game here and I thought, when it could have got a little bit nervy in the last 15 minutes, the supporters were amazing.

“They sensed it and they really got behind the team and lifted the team. So that side is very important.

“It’s great. It’s where I wanted to take the club back to where we come here.

“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.

“And we’ve started to do that. Obviously this will be a massive test of that, but that’s what we sign up for.”

Brendan Rodgers spoke of Bayern Munich as “European royalty” ahead of tonight’s Champions League play-off against the six-time European champions.

“Bayern Munich are one of the giants of the European game. They really are football royalty in terms of what they’ve achieved over many, many years at this level.

“What is important for us is that we’re very much alive in the tie going over to Germany. I think that would be the key message for us.

“But we want to go and perform. We’re not frightened to lose. That’s not what this is about.

“This is about performing and if we can perform well, like we’ve shown in this competition, especially at home, hopefully we can get what we deserve.

“Our mindset looking into the game is to win the game to see if we can take an advantage across the next week.”

Brendan Rodgers admitted he “ran the legs off” Daizen Maeda in the last three games thinking the Celtic forward would be missing tonight.

“I ran the legs off him for three games. It was brilliant by the club, I’ve got to say, because he was always going to serve one game, but until you get the written report – which didn’t come through until Thursday/Friday last week – you can’t put in your appeal.

“But as soon as it did come in, obviously the club put in the appeal. Which, with the greatest respect to UEFA, we were thinking this probably wouldn’t bear fruit.

“And then when I got the call to say he was able to play, I thought, ‘goodness me, he’s played the three full games’.

“He couldn’t run any more as a striker, as a winger. But thankfully he’s just a bundle of energy, so he’ll be OK. I was a wee bit surprised when it came through.”

Brendan Rodgers welcomed the surprise availability of top scorer Daizen Maeda as he explained why the forward is so important to Celtic.

“It’s such a great bit of news that we got, obviously, last night, early evening. 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.

“Like most footballers, they’re good people. As a guy, he’s super professional. He’s in every day, does his work, does all the right things to prepare himself to be a top professional.

“He trains as he plays, so he’s very intense and gives everything in his training and, obviously, he then takes that personality onto the field.

“So he’s been an absolute joy to work with and just seeing him develop and grow over the course of the season.

“His ability, his finishing, but add to that, like I say, the work rate and intensity. He’s a really, really pivotal player for us.”

Brendan Rodgers admitted it was a “big surprise” to have the “extraordinary” Daizen Maeda available for Celtic’s Champions League play-off against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.

The Japan attacker was sent off in the 1-0 win over Young Boys last month and served the first game of his ban in the 4-2 loss away to Aston Villa.

It was thought Celtic’s top scorer this season would also miss the visit of the German giants but his two-match suspension was reduced to one after an appeal, with the news emerging on Monday.

Maeda has scored six goals in his last three games – and 22 in total for club and country this season.

Brendan Rodgers expressed his long-term admiration of “world class” Harry Kane ahead of the Bayern Munich striker’s visit to Celtic Park.

The England captain will lead the line for the German giants in the first leg of the Champions League knockout play-off at Parkhead tonight.

“Oh, he’s absolutely brilliant,” said the Celtic boss. “Obviously, I’ve known Harry for a long time and come across him many times.

“Harry’s actually one of those ones that until you’re stood on the side of the pitch and you face him, you actually only then really, really see his level.

“I know as a young player he came through the system at Tottenham. It wasn’t easy for him at the beginning. He had lots of loans getting out to clubs and didn’t quite work out.

“And then he was given the opportunity by Tim Sherwood at Tottenham. Tim had belief in him and had worked with him as a young player. Once he got into the team his development just improved from that. And you look at him now, he’s a world-class player.”

“I can’t speak highly enough of him. He was absolutely brilliant at Tottenham, showed the same for England and he’s gone out to Bayern and you just need to look at his goals record. A fantastic player and a good guy. We know that.”

Vincent Kompany has cautioned that Bayern Munich must be wary of Celtic’s winning mentality ahead of tonight’s Champions League play-off first leg in Glasgow.

The Bavarians, who lead the Bundesliga title race, failed to earn automatic qualification to the round of 16, setting up a two-legged playoff with the Scottish Premiership leaders.

While Bayern are clear favourites to progress, Kompany said Celtic’s domestic dominance ensured they would not be pushovers.

“We play against a team that is used to winning, to always go forward,” Kompany said. “The five players they deploy up front are used to scoring.

“This confidence is something you also take into big games. Maybe you defend less deep in your own league but clubs dominant in their own league remain so in big games.”

So far in the first season of the Champions League’s new inflated format, it has often been difficult to pinpoint the fixtures that matter and the ones that are just making up the numbers. But as Celtic welcome Bayern Munich to Glasgow for a play-off, 12 years to the day since the last time they hosted a Champions League knockout tie, there will be no doubting the significance of the occasion. “Very excited by it,” said Brendan Rodgers. “A great challenge for us.”

Bayern Munich are the massive favourites to win this one and they should get the job done. Vincent Kompany may decide to go all out and try to settle the tie in the first leg with the knowledge that Bayern play the second leg at home and can rectify any slip ups. Celtic face a big test but if they can score they may be able to force an upset as Bayern’s European form hasn’t been fantastic this season.

Bayern Munich to win – 3/10

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