Brendan Rodgers doesn’t want to experience a re-run of his most stressful night as Celtic manager.
In the end it was all right on the night but the tension and drama of a 2-0 defeat from Hapoel Beer Sheva is definitely to be avoided.
Celtic had a 5-2 lead to defend when they arrived in Israel and somehow managed to survive despite falling 2-0 behind early in the second half.
It was an experience that the Celtic boss would rather avoid with tonight’s third qualifying round against Rosenborg carrying similar stakes.
With the experience of a Champions League campaign behind them and an invincible domestic season Rodgers is expecting a very different performance from his side in Norway.
“In Be’er Sheva a year ago there was no calmness, that was a test,” he recalled to The Sun. “My heartbeat was in my head that night.
“That night we just couldn’t pass it. We just tried everything in that game but that’s an example of nervousness from a team which hasn’t qualified for a time, trying to find a new way of working.
“But there’s night and day difference now. The best way to cope is to have the ball, press hard, be aggressive and just do your best.
“We all know the consequence if we don’t. We want to win, but we will do it as a process.”
The return of Leigh Griffiths has given Celtic an obvious confidence boost with the striking position covered.
Midfield will prove to be Rodgers’ biggest dilemma with Callum McGregor, Stuart Armstrong, Olivier Ntcham and Tom Rogic battling for two places alongside Scott Brown, James Forrest and Scott Sinclair.