Celtic send Bonfire Night rocket to fans as they blast towards Champions League riches - but a big call looms

Make no mistake, this is a huge tie for both teams. Celtic sit on four points after three matches in the competition, buoyed by their last test away at Atalanta, which they passed with flying colours after a 0-0 draw in Bergamo. RB Leipzig are in more of a precarious position. They may sit second in the Bundesliga back home in Germany but in the Champions League they are pointless after defeats by Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool.

Marco Rose’s side are now in must-win territory if they are to resurrect their hopes of qualifying for at least the play-off round. Further matches against Internazionale, Aston Villa, Sporting CP and Sturm Graz await them. Victories are imperative.

Celtic’s situation is healthier. Having already played away at Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund, where they were thrashed 7-1, there will be a wariness of playing another German side regardless of home advantage. But on paper, this looks one of Celtic’s last remaining assignments whereby they are up against a heavyweight European side. Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, Young Boys and Aston Villa make up the remainder of their fixture list.

Celtic aren’t quite in free-hit territory. Manager Brendan Rodgers has already stated that reaching the play-off round is their stated aim this season in the revamped tournament. Points can be picked up elsewhere, but a positive result against Leipzig would greatly enhance their chances.

Celtic will not be taking their German opponents lightly, though. “Red Bull Leipzig will be no different to the likes of Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund,” said Rodgers. “They are a top team right at the top end of their league. They have everything you want in a top European side in terms of speed, strength, power and technique. But it’s a brilliant challenge for us and we’re really looking forward to it on the back of a really good result at Atalanta.”

Rodgers is expecting a performance similar to that in Italy to glean at least a point against RB Leipzig. “We were probably just individual then in our pressing [in the Dortmund defeat],” said Rodgers. “That allowed us to regroup again and go to Atalanta and press how we wanted to and defend how we needed to. The players showed that they could do that against a really, really top attacking team.

“So, we'll need to do that again on Wednesday. There's going to be times where we're going to be able to press again and be really aggressive on it. There's going to be moments where we have to be controlled in that and then look to play and cause them a problem when we have the ball.”

Rodgers has the well-worn cliche of a “selection headache” on his hands when it comes to his central defence. Three into two just won’t go and with Cameron Carter-Vickers now back in the fold, it feels unlikely he won’t play given the calming influence he has on this team. It is a toss-up between Liam Scales and Auston Trusty to partner him. Trusty, Carter-Vickers’ fellow American, was given the nod in last weekend’s 6-0 hammering of Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, but Scales has been one of Celtic’s most consistent performers this term. Both were awesome against Atalanta.

“I know I can put any one of them in,” Rodgers said of his defenders. “It'll depend on the game that we want to play and with some of their strengths. I think all the players know they're valued and they know that they're going to be playing games, even if it's not the next game.

“‘They'll maybe get an opportunity in the next one after that. We sit down and we always come up with a plan in terms of what it is we want to do and then the players that fit around that.”

This will be the fifth time in six years that these two are doing battle. Celtic lost home and away in Champions League group stages back in 2022 under Ange Postecoglou but Rodgers was in charge back in 2018 when Celtic defeated Leipzig 2-1 in a Europa League tie against Leipzig that went a long way to securing their place in the knock-out phase.

Goals from Kieran Tierney as Odsonne Edouard proved decisive that November night at Celtic Park. “To win a game at this level, you have to bring your A-game to it,” said Rodgers. “I thought that night we were excellent, the intensity of our game, the pressure we had in the game. Of course, you have to ride your luck at times as well. That's the level. But no, I thought our intensity, our pressing, our football was very good on that evening.”

Celtic will no doubt draw strength from the home crowd. Another hackneyed footballing phrase is the special Parkhead atmosphere on such occasions. And while Rodgers will feast upon the power generated from the Celtic support, he also had a message on the thorny issue of pyrotechnics.

Flares set off from supporters delayed kick-off in Saturday’s semi-final at Hampden by 15 minutes and the club is already in hot water with Uefa for pyro in previous Champions League ties. A further incident could lead to ban on away supporters for their next match, away at Dinamo Zagreb on December 10.

“I think it's just exactly what we said before,” Rodgers said, reiterating the message from the club already this season on the use of pyro. “It's not something that we really want to see. I think there's that sanction hanging over the club and we really don't want that.”

The message is clear: let the players bring the fireworks. Celtic could blast their way to the promised land of Champions League knock-out football.