Celtic's recent European exploits have been more of a nightmare than a dream over the last 10 years.

With notable exceptions such as the 2019/20 Europa League campaign - which saw the Hoops finish top of their group after defeating Lazio home and away - and the 2012/13 Champions League group stages - which included the famous 2-1 victory over Barcelona - it is not unfair to say that the club has been lacking at the top-end of the game. Even those two better seasons ended immediately in the first knockout phase to Juventus and Copenhagen, respectively. Ronny Deila's side's second-place finish in Europa League group stages in 2014/15, along with Rodgers' team doing the same in 2018/19, are both worth a mention as well but those campaigns also ended at the round of 32.

European success is starting to sound like something of a bygone era around Parkhead. The promises of giant killings and the idea of anyone being given a game when they come to Glasgow feels like concepts consigned to the history books, particularly for younger fans. Part of this is undoubtedly due to the gap in finances increasing over even the last decade. This has made it more difficult for the club to compete with even the second rung of European football, never mind superclubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City. However, there have also been times when poor performances or a lack of a clinical edge have let the club down. Examples such as Zenit Saint Petersburg, Bobo/Glimt or Shakhtar Donetsk last season immediately spring to mind.

Brendan Rodgers seems keen to change this. A constant thread throughout his first interview after returning to the club was about making fans "dream" again. The 50-year-old was keen to highlight that European progress is where he should be judged most. "Celtic Football Club is about the supporters and I hope that I can come back, make you very proud and also very importantly make you dream again," he said. "We did that in our first time together and now, hopefully going forward we can dream again."

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Of course, it is difficult to quantify exactly what this progress would look like. Some would view finishing third in the group and dropping into the Europa League as an improvement. Others might see merely winning a game as a step in the right direction, something the club have not managed in the Champions League since defeating Anderlecht in 2017, but it seems like one player is aiming to surpass both of those aims.

Matt O'Riley is someone who has always been ambitious. Rejecting a new contract at Fulham so he could go and play first-team football elsewhere at MK Dons, he took the risk of moving down a division to develop his game. It paid off, as he joined Celtic last January and became a vital part of the team that wrestled the league back from Rangers in 2022 and won a treble the following season.

O'Riley clearly feels that the club can go to the next level in Europe. "Of course I [believe we can go far in the tournament], it’s football isn’t it?” O’Riley said. We have seen things in the past where teams not expected to win things do win them. Leicester won the Premier League, and I think we should go into the Champions League believing we can win every game. Not necessarily expecting to, but we have to give ourselves the best chance of doing well.

"For me personally, being in Scotland for a year, I’m now in a better place than I was then. Experience can only help, whether it is a good experience or a bad experience. Going into the next season and the next crack at the Champions League, I think you are more prepared and more ready mentally because you know the level and should back yourself to really go for it. I just hope all of us in the team really believe we can actually do something this year because I think it’s possible.”

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That is fighting talk which will undoubtedly excite fans as the club shapes up for their second successive year at Europe's top table. Former manager Ange Postecoglou regularly spoke about not fearing any opponent and the importance of making incremental gains each season so that over time the culture shock of playing at a higher level is not so severe.

O'Riley has clearly taken this on board, going by his recent comments. "I look at a player on the other team and - fair enough - they might be in a Real Madrid kit or a Barcelona kit, but they are still a human being like I am and the rest of my team are, and if we play well today we can definitely win a football match," he continued.

"We might not be favourites in every game, but it’s still possible. Scottish football gets a bit overlooked and the Champions League is the platform to really show that the teams in this league can play good football and really compete. Going into this year, I would like to put a marker down and say, ‘Okay we are actually here for a reason…’"

It won't be easy, and more work is required in the transfer market before the window closes at the end of August, but an attitude like O'Riley's could go a long way in allowing Celtic to make a mark again on the European stage. Of course, hard work and determination are not enough to bridge the gap on their own, but this - combined with the correct reinforcements - as well as a good chunk of the current group now having Champions League experience under their belt, could allow for progress.

Celtic fans have been unable to "dream" in Europe for some time but Postecoglou started making some small improvements last season and now it is up to Rodgers to develop the club further to fulfil one of his key aims.