Can this Celtic side beat Paris St Germain?
With the transfer window closed the clock is now racing towards the opening game of the Champions League.
Like last season Celtic go straight in at the deep end with only the location changing as Neymar and his new pals head for Glasgow.
Paris St Germain will provide the toughest of tests but equally Celtic will be the last Pot 4 club that the newly rich French side wanted to face.
While PSG dodge around Financial Fair Play, Brendan Rodgers has been working at an entirely different level but for 13 months the Irishman has been preparing for this test.
In all honestly Celtic’s great Champions League results have required super-human efforts, players playing above their station and converting the few chances that come their way.
Rodgers has set out to create a football playing Celtic side that will never be out of their depth against the best continentals.
His ethos and beliefs will be tested next Tuesday but with a squad still heavily reliant on the players that he inherited the Celtic boss will put out a brave side to pass the ball around and test PSG as much as their glamour boys will test the hoops.
CRAIG GORDON
Over the last couple of games he has been overkeen to get involved outside of the penalty box with unnecessary risks being taken.
He came back into the side 11 months ago against Manchester City and needs to regain that level of concentration for the weeks ahead.
MIKAEL LUSTIG
Like many he found the second half in Astana more testing than anticipated but for now remains the first choice right-back.
There’s unlikely to be too many attacking opportunities in the Champions League which should suit Lustig with his old ‘friend’ Neymar his first opponent.
His summer break was minimal but the sound of the Champions League anthem should work wonders for another season at least.
JOZO SIMUNOVIC
Hopefully the offers and distractions put his way are cast aside as he concentrates on six massive challenges over the coming months- all of them played on grass.
Last season’s Champions League campaign largely passed him by, hopefully he can be a major influence on this season’s adventures.
DEDRYCK BOYATA
Brendan Rodgers has complete faith in the former Manchester City man and carefully managed his recuperation last season.
The Champions League is an unforgiving ‘playground’ even more so with the calibre of the PSG forward line but the signs are that Boyata will partner Simunovic.
KIERAN TIERNEY
No worries on this one, after facing upto Raheem Sterling a year ago his confidence and stature flourished.
Attacking is his biggest strength but in the Champions League his defensive attributes will be tested out.
More and more eyes are watching KT, Bayern were credited with an interest in him last season but his focus is all on Celtic rather than a shop window.
SCOTT BROWN
There will be less onus on him to carry and support younger team-mates and more opportunity to influence in other ways.
With possession likely to be tilted against Celtic Brown will be in his element knowing that he is trusted by one of the top coaches in the game.
OLIVIER NTCHAM
In both matches against Astana he excelled in a number of different roles with his goal in Kazakhstan calming many nerves.
His experience with Genoa and the French u21 side will have him well prepared but these Champions League opponents are another level entirely.
PATRICK ROBERTS
Roberts showed that he has the temperament for the big occasion, in the Champions League ties away to Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City he showed that he has the game to open up defences.
Rodgers knows that these type of players are rarely available to Celtic, having plotted all summer for his arrival he’ll have plenty of ideas what he wants to do with the on loan Manchester City winger.
TOM ROGIC
Rodgers has worked carefully with the Australian to find the position that best suits his range of skills with goalscoring the key.
Hovering around in front of the midfielders and behind the striker can open up all sorts of options with Rogic’s close control and accurate shooting capable of causing difficulties for any opponents.
SCOTTY SINCLAIR
On his game, which is often, he is unplayable with opponents unable to prevent him from cutting in from the left flank and firing in his trademark right foot shot for the postage stamp corner.
After a season playing alongside his team-mates they understand his game perfectly, knowing how to get the maximum benefit from a goalscorer who is neither a midfielder or a winger.
LEIGH GRIFFITHS
Starting a Champions League match will mean the world to Griffiths- and an unlikely scenario when Brendan Rodgers questioned his commitment to his 24/7 athlete mentality at the turn of the year.
Regardless of Moussa Dembele’s fitness Griffiths has earned his chance with vital performances in the final three Champions League qualifiers.
He’ll need to be very economical with the chances that come his way but there are times when he only needs a sight of goal to ping in a low shot on target.