Heineken is the beer sponsor of choice for the Champions League.

It was the wrong one for Celtic on Wednesday night, they were more Carslberg than Heineken. 'Carlsberg don't do...but if they did...they'd probably be the best in the world...'

It was the catchy strapline in an advert for the famous Danish beverage. Celtic had a Carlsberg Wednesday in the Champions League and then some. Brendan Rodgers's side hammered Slovan Bratislava 5-1 to win their opening game in the Champions League league phase.

It was Celtic's first-ever opening game win of the Champions League era in a group stage/league phase. The result shoved Celtic up to the lofty heights of second in the league table behind Bayern Munich on goal difference after Matchday One.

There's been a recalibration at Celtic for this season's Champions League tournament. New era. New format. New Celtic.

Rodgers got the quality that he wanted in the summer. The Irishman told everybody who was prepared to listen that Celtic were finally in a place where they could compete not just participate at the elite level of club football. Sterner tests will now follow away with back-to-back fixtures against last season's Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund and Europa League winners Atalanta.

It's up to the Scottish champions to replicate the display which Rodgers labelled 'outstanding' in the remaining seven games and see where it takes them. Both Rodgers and the Celtic supporters crave success on this stage more than most. The men in green and white have now given themselves an almighty platform upon which to build something tangible.

For one night at least in G40, Celtic was on top of the Champions League world, well second top and it felt great. A result and a performance as good as this has been a long time coming down Glasgow's east end way and the dear green place was rocking to its foundations. Even wily, old campaigners like Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel were blown away by it all.

Rodgers believes it can be the perfect launchpad to triumph in both the domestic and European arena. Celtic used to be a big noise in this competition, Rodgers is determined to restore the glory days as well as the club's honour, image and prestige at this level.

The board helped him take the first step in that aim by backing him handsomely in the summer transfer window and recruiting Belgian international Arne Engels for £11 million from Augsburg and he was excellent as he took his Champions League bow in front of an expectant 60,000.

He said: "Firstly, the performance was outstanding. It had everything that I would want - full of desire and energy. Then, the energy from the stadium was absolutely incredible. That combination is a real force and we saw that in the game. It was an outstanding performance, and it had everything that I would want from one of my teams. The only thing missing was a couple more goals!

"It can give us another layer of confidence. We’ve started performing really well with the intent of our game. Everything on that front domestically has been good. You take that into the Champions League and being able to do it at that level is also particularly pleasing, because no matter what is said, every team that plays in the Champions League is there believing that they are a big team.

"There are some more prestigious teams than others, because of history, but every club that enters that competition has done well. You know when you’re playing these teams you’ve got to perform. For us to play at that level with that pressure was something that didn’t surprise me - we coped with pressures last season - so that’s continued as a learning curve going into the other night.

"It felt like a really special occasion, and I said before the game that I felt ready going into this competition this year - more so than any other time - and you can see that in the team and how they played.

"The guys that are sampling it for the first time - we’ve got new players coming into here and a style of play that takes time to get used to due to the speed. They’re coming into a winning mentality and that will hopefully drive them on and push them on to perform here. Getting a sample of that and that feeling the other night was really special for those guys.

"Guys like Kasper (Schmeichel) - who has seen a lot in football - were taken aback by it all due to the experience. I think what I'm starting to see now is the identity in the team that I wanted. That took a little bit of time, but I'm clearly seeing what I want to see which is good.

"Now it's about building on that and building a really successful team. Our job here at Celtic is to honour and protect the great history of this club, and the winning mentality for the modern team to make our own history. We're in a really good place, but there's still a way for us to go.

"I think it was just a case of the board did great, they got the players in, and I said throughout the window that I knew the players I wanted and we all wanted the same thing. By the end of the window, if we'd gotten all the players we wanted to get in, then it'd have been a great achievement by all. We did that.

"Now you see when you have that calibre of player in, what it can do. 11 million or 1.5 million – I will always look to develop a player, no matter what that price is. Or whether it's a young player coming through the academy. Looking at this particular group, coming in last year, working with them and seeing how we want to progress, there were certain characteristics that I felt that we needed.

"Knowing in the back of my mind that there was a possibility of, say, Matt [O'Riley] going. Not only are you losing goals, you're losing a presence, a set-piece expert because he was very good at those. Knowing that Arne (Engels) fitted that profile, that's why we were keen to get him in and help us.

"I think the other night was a vindication for everyone. The board, with the money they've spent, I think they will have enjoyed watching the team. The supporters, watching the game, seeing the verve in the team, the dynamism and playing the attacking football that they want, and the players themselves on the pitch doing a brilliant job, fighting for the team, fighting for the club and producing great football. Which is the demand."

The matches keep coming thick and fast for Celtic and they are smack bang in a six-game schedule in 23 days. Next up for Celtic is an outing against Falkirk in the League Cup quarter-final and a re-acquaintance with a familiar face as one-time Parkhead scout John McGlynn returns to his old stomping ground.

The squad depth will be tested to the full as they fight on three fronts for the time being - it will be four when the Scottish Cup rolls around - but Rodgers is still rankled by the League Cup defeat he suffered at the hands of Kilmarnock last season.

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McGlynn has hailed Rodgers as a coaching genius. The 51-year-old is having none of it suffice to say he can't wait to lock horns with Falkirk who are on a 43-league-game unbeaten run. He admits that he's surprised that McGlynn has not been in the running for a top-flight job more often.

Rodgers said; "That is always the challenge in football - consistency. I’ve seen nothing but good application and desire. Our drive is to keep that going. This competition is important to me, it was the first one I won as a Celtic manager, so it means everything to me. We will be going all-out on Sunday to get to the semi-finals.

"I have a lot of time for John. We’ve exchanged messages and stuff, but I’m really looking forward to seeing him because I’ve not seen him since I left here the first time. We’ve always been in contact and spoke on the phone and various things. I’m really proud of him and what he’s done in his career since he got that opportunity again. What he did at Raith Rovers and what he’s now doing at Falkirk - he has done absolutely brilliant. I’m looking forward to seeing him, he’s a really good guy.

"The first thing I would say is don’t use that word (genius)! When that gets said, that’s when everyone chases you even more! I don’t need that! When I came here, we brought in a structure, a way of working and a mentality that he was a part of. He saw it first hand and he was in it. He knows how I work and the levels that I go to. John always went the extra mile for me. He knew there was a big demand that came with the job here and what I wanted. He was a real team player. I’m more comfortable talking about him and his achievements - he’s done fantastic. I’m delighted for him and he’ll have a great season. Hopefully not at the weekend!

"I think sometimes what can happen is that experience can get overlooked because there is a trend for a younger manager to come in with fresh and new ideas. I still think you can be really experienced and have a young mind. That young mind with the experience can really take clubs forward. I’m not sure if he declared an interest or not in other jobs - he may well have done, or he may be happy where he is. There’s no doubt what he’s produced in his two clubs since he left here has been absolutely brilliant.

"The style of football, the game he looks to play, it’s very impressive. That opportunity will come for him, you look at Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta - 66 years of age but he has a young and fresh mind and he really drives on the vision of his club there.

"As long as you have that young mind but with experience, then that can help any club. John is one of those guys that has a wonderful enthusiasm for the game. He can take any team forward, and without any disrespect to Raith and Falkirk, he can do it at a higher level."

(Image: Agency) Speaking of higher levels, it was former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart who singled out Japanese winger Daizen Maeda for some special praise when he was doing his Match of the Day punditry on Wednesday night.

However, Hart's comments paled into insignificance when compared to what Rodgers said about 'Duracell Daizen' as he labelled him the 'best in the world' in his position when it comes to pressing and counter-pressing.

Rodgers said: "That's where the game starts. I saw reports in terms of the team doing well and keeping clean sheets in terms of the goalkeeper and the back four. It starts at the front and what we are seeing from all those guys at the top of the pitch when they see it they are gone. That's our trigger and our reference to go.

"I would doubt there is anyone better in world football than Maeda at doing that in context. I have watched an image of the game and this is towards the end of the game and he is making a recovery run into the left-back position tracking their right-back thinking the ball is going to come across but the ball goes to the centre-half and he presses it and nicks it and he's away.

"Even if you can do that it is all about the level and the desire to do it which most players won't have. He could easily have dropped that press as he didn't have to do that one and that was the important one and he went and realised that he wasn't getting there, and he actually got to the centre-half before the guy that should have got there! It was incredible. It was unbelievable pressing from him but that's his mentality.  All of that is part of our programme."

The Celtic squad are certainly all with the programme.

Heineken, Carlsberg...it doesn't matter. The Celtic supporters are just drinking it all in.

Being a Celtic supporter?

It's probably the best feeling in the world, right now.