Celtic's Rodgers praises 'incredible' Borussia Dortmund

How difficult a night was that for you, watching that?

It was a tough watch, to be honest. We weren't quite at our best, and they showed why they're a top, top team. Yeah, we didn't make the start that we wanted and then I've just said to the players afterwards, I don't think I've been involved in a game where I feel that every single mistake that we made got punished. And that's the level, any misplaced pass or moment that they had, it just seemed to end up in the back of the net. And then on the other side, we had a couple of moments, obviously the second half, and it didn't just quite fall for us. So, yeah, I think at this level, especially away from home against a top team, you need to be at your highest level. And we weren't that. And they were. You could see the level and quality that they have. 

You mention mistakes - why were there so many?

I think that's the learning that comes away from this level. I think that we may have got spooked a little bit early on. We get two on each, good. Unfortunately, the toe poke goes through and then the guy gets the penalty, put the money up. But then we get the equaliser and then very, very quickly we're then two on behind and they get a foothold in the game and start to move it well and we start to chase it a little bit. So it was a mixture of our positioning but also then just our quality and our passing. We were short or we just made the right pass and our touch wasn't quite right. We just didn't play a good game technically either.

Would you have done anything differently at the start?

No, not really. I think it's one that we went in high in confidence. The team's been playing ever so well. We were in a really, really good place. But I think we needed to start the game much better than we did. We gave away cheap goals. We analysed the game back but there were certain issues, and positioning that we would have to be better at. We got punished for passes and loose bits of play which at this level like you've seen tonight, they will punish you. It was absolutely ruthless in the finishing. It was incredible to see. Unfortunately for us, we were on the back of it.

Is this game a reminder of where you want to be?

It's very, very difficult for us to get to that level. It's a different level with the greatest respect. But what we'd want to be is more competitive than we were tonight. I think that was what was disappointing from our perspective. I thought the second half the guys showed a really good spirit. We were much braver on the ball but cleaner with our pass and got into some much better areas. Had the ball for longer periods. In the first half we were too rushed. We know we've got speed in the top end of the field but we just gave it away too early. You do that against good players then you're chasing the ball. But the level is, it's always a learning process. Like you say, for us, we've seen tonight the very highest level of the European game. For us, we get punished but we will learn from it for sure.

Does it at all reassess the approach when you come away from home against a bit of teams and how much you do go toe-to-toe with them? 

Yeah, I didn't think we were going toe-to-toe with them. I think there are certain moments when we can press the game so from a static position, we're there to press it. Of course then when you're in that mid-pitch, I just felt that we needed to be tighter. The times we're positioning was a little bit too open and you've just got to really tighten the game or else they play through you and that's what they did. Once they're in turn, then that speed and power that they have at the very highest level, then you see where it takes them. So yeah, in moments we were pressing the game. In moments we're in but we needed to be tighter and more compact in certain moments which let them get through. They get two penalties in the first half and then they score an absolute worldie from the young guy from outside the box, the one who knicks off Daizen inside and finishes with an unbelievable finish. Daizen has a touch, a little bit loose and then he fires it in. so before you know it you're 4-1 down and that's just sheer quality. Nothing positioning in that. That's what I said earlier, just getting punished for mistakes that you wouldn't normally. But with a very elite player, you make that slight mistake, boom, you get punished. Obviously, it's the first defeat in a long time but it's a heavy one.

How do you make sure it doesn't scar the players, it doesn't linger in their minds especially when you come back to this competition in a couple of weeks time because this competition is so important for you and for the club? 

We knew that over eight games what it is we wanted to achieve but we also knew that these opening games away from home were going to be a real eye-opener for us and a real challenge for us. No one within the players and the management and coaching staff felt any different and we knew it was going to be a big challenge. Obviously, that form coming into it was absolutely fantastic and we would have wanted to be much better this evening. but that's my job, my job is to go away and inspire the players again and like I say we analyse and you need to learn from it or else you can really get punished at this level. but this is a fantastic group of players that will do that, very conscientious and we'll look at it and see where we can be better.

Brendan, does the result and performance surprise you tonight or can I see this coming in some ways? Do you think it was always possible that a team like Dortmund could do this? 

It's always possible just because of their level. We come into it with great optimism and that's what you want to have but we're obviously in the notion as well that we're playing against top, top players and I think you see that this evening at the top of the game and can really punish you. But like I say we have to take it on the chin. The players have been brilliant over a long period of time now. We had a really good start in the competition. so we've got three points on the board tonight and the best team won by a long way and we can learn from it and get going again at the weekend.

You mentioned the team being spooked by the early goals. is that something you can work on because you need to have composure and maybe it adds a lot to it as well?

Yes, absolutely. Well, Atalanta will be a different game. It's a more man-to-man game so you have to be really strong in your duel and be able to work the ball. But yes, tonight surprisingly we weren't so... have that assurance with the ball and that authority that we normally have and maybe come from the quick goals that we conceded. But it's the level and if you want to compete at this level then we would have to be better with and without the ball.

Is there a broader point, Brendan, about the big step you have to make between what you face domestically and facing something like that? Because the reality is you could make those mistakes in a game at home and that wouldn't happen to you. That's got to be difficult for players, isn't it? 

It's a fair point. It is because you're just not coming up against that level. But as I said before, I don't think I've been involved in a game where it just felt that every missed play or every missed pass or just a slight error ended up with a goal. It was absolutely ruthless finishing. And when you see that level, you know what it takes to really push on. But for us, we operate in the league that we're in. We have to be the best that we can be in that. That then qualifies us to come into this stage and that's what we want to be. Nights like tonight are hard. They can be tough but it can happen. So we have to learn from it and move on.