FOUR years in the past he got here right here with Brendan Rodgers as his supervisor.
Now Callum McGregor, Celtic’s solely survivor from the 2018 Europa League defeat to Leipzig within the Purple Bull Enviornment, is again to face them with Ange Postecoglou.
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Any type of outcome for the Hoops will set them up completely for 2 residence ties in opposition to the German aspect and Shakhtar Donetsk — and a potential place within the final 16.
Skipper McGregor mentioned: “I’m clearly much more skilled now, with much more video games beneath my belt at a very excessive stage.
“European soccer yearly makes you a greater participant.
“You discover ways to cope with conditions, you discover ways to develop as an individual and a participant.
“I really feel as if I’m in an excellent place.
“I believe if you see the final recreation right here was 4 years in the past, it feels rather a lot shorter than that.
“Whenever you suppose again to the sport, you may keep in mind bits that occurred. You get caught up in that whirlwind and it seems like ages in the past.
“However you may keep in mind just about each element about many of the video games you’ve gotten performed in.
“So a good bit of time has handed, however the secret is to all the time attempt to enhance and get higher.
“It’s on track as a result of I all the time talk about attempting to get higher each season, to attempt to elevate your recreation and what you may convey to the membership.
“I really feel like I’m getting older and extra skilled, so it’s essential that I hold working onerous, keep humble and hold doing the issues that made me moderately profitable thus far. Whenever you play within the Champions League it’s a actually massive soar.
“Whenever you play in it for the primary time, all the things is a lot faster. It’s important to course of data actually shortly. Your contact must be on the cash each time you get the ball.
“It’s an actual take a look at for gamers after they first go in.
“However I believe the blokes have dealt with it so nicely and the gaffer has to take a variety of credit score for that as nicely with the best way he units the workforce up.
“He makes it actually clear. There are not any gray areas for us by way of what you have to be doing with or with out the ball.
“That makes the sport easy for the gamers.
“Then they should convey their high quality and character into the sport.
“We imagine we’re an excellent workforce. We’ve got good gamers and in the end, if we do the correct issues and work onerous, we will trigger anybody issues. It’s nearly having that perception as a gaggle and self-belief as people, that we will go and play at this stage and make an impression.
“That’s what we are attempting to do, particularly within the final 4 video games of the group.”
After defeat to Actual Madrid and an away draw in opposition to Shakhtar, McGregor realises how essential it’s for his or her qualification hopes that they keep away from defeat to Leipzig. He mentioned: “Whenever you have a look at the group now, if we get a optimistic outcome right here then you definately consider the 2 residence video games and it units you up rather well.
“So we have now had a little bit of glamour at the beginning in opposition to the reigning holders of the competitors.
“Then you definately take a breath and suppose, ‘Effectively, we’re right here, we’ve carried out nicely. The primary and second video games are carried out with, we’ve carried out nicely in each’.
“There’s no cause why, if we do a variety of good issues, we will’t achieve success within the group.”
It’s a forty five,000 sell-out tonight, with German outfit Leipzig trying to play catch-up within the group.
They’ve a brand new boss in Marco Rose and received 4-0 on the weekend at residence to Bundesliga rivals Bochum.
McGregor added: “It will likely be an actual good ambiance. You may see behind the aim there’s a standing part too. They are going to be proper up for the sport.
“Within the context of the group, they should win to remain alive, so I don’t suppose the gamers might be beneath any illusions Leipzig could have a fast begin.
“They are going to come at us and it’s about us being composed and attempting to implement our model into the sport.”
Celts boss Postecoglou desires his aspect to repeat the shows of the video games in opposition to Actual Madrid and Shakhtar — however get a win this time.
He mentioned: “There are undoubtedly parts of their recreation which might be like ours.
Each golf equipment are very aggressive in the best way they assault and the best way they defend. I like these type of groups.
“The soccer I would like us to play is as a result of I imagine it may be profitable. But in addition as a result of I believe it’s thrilling and it’s what the followers need to see.
“I wish to see groups with related make-ups. They’re of curiosity to me.
“From our perspective, that’s the problem. We’re assembly a workforce which have related traits to us — not completely the identical — and it’s how we address it.”
