Brendan Rodgers insists every Champions League game is like cup final for Celtic

Brendan Rodgers stressed that every Champions League game is like a cup final for Celtic as they prepare to meet a team who feel their campaign hinges on their trip to Glasgow.

RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva likened Tuesday’s game to a final after his team lost their first three matches in the tournament.

Celtic have picked up four points ahead of the visit of the German side but Rodgers believes they will match the must-win mentality of their visitors.

“Every game for us at this level is a cup final,” he said. “I mentioned that right at the beginning of this competition to our players – we have eight finals to see if we can get into that play-off stage.

“They’ve had tough games, they’ll obviously be disappointed with the Juve game where they were at home and they lost a man and lost the game. Of course, you come into this fourth game then they’ll be obviously desperate to get points on the board.

“But thankfully we are too and that should mean for a really, really fantastic game.”

Celtic beat Leipzig at home during Rodgers’ first spell in charge but he was on the end of two defeats against an RB Salzburg team who were managed by Leipzig’s current manager, Marco Rose.

Rose also masterminded home and away wins over Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic team two years ago.

“I know how Marc Rose’s teams will play, I know what the Red Bull philosophy is,” Rodgers said. “You know they want to press, you know they want to be aggressive, you know they’re going to have physicality in the game and you also see what they’re doing back in the Bundesliga to tell they’re a top, top side.”

Celtic started their campaign with a 5-1 home win over Slovan Bratislava before being on the end of a 7-1 defeat against Borussia Dortmund and then steadying the ship with a goalless draw against Atalanta.

Rodgers was happy to admit he is learning as well as his players after they produced a far more compact and connected display in Italy than in Germany.

“Listen, I think Red Bull Leipzig will be no different to Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund,” he said. “A top team right towards the top of their league, have everything that you would want in a top European side – speed, strength, power, technique.

“We really look to bring our energy to the game but also know that we’ll have to defend for a good period of the game as well and defend with the concentration and commitment that we did in Atalanta.

“I’ve mentioned it before but this group of players, I think what carries any individual or any team is the mindset. This is a team that’s mindset is to improve and to be better and we knew we needed to be better after that (Dortmund) game, me included. We were able to go away and focus on that and were much better in our game in Atalanta.

“Listen, it’s the highest level of European football, so we’re playing against a lot of teams that are superior to us and from superior leagues.

“So that challenge in itself is absolutely great, trying to find ways to gain the results that can bring you to your end point.

“It’s an amazing competition to be involved in. You have some games where you have to take your medicine. But I’m pretty sure it’s all learning and it’s no different to probably yourselves.

“I’m pretty sure you don’t write your scripts first up all the time. I’m sure you draw your line through some pieces of paper and whatever else. And we’re exactly the same, where we learn, we hope to be better, improve.”