HIS side could be without two of their most-potent goal-threats when they face RB Leipzig.
But Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic can hit the net in Europe – with Odsonne Edouard leading the line.
James Forrest’s red card against Red Bull Salzburg means he will sit out Thursday’s Europa League clash with Bundesliga high-flyers Leipzig in Germany.
Leigh Griffiths, meanwhile, is an illness doubt.
However, Rodgers insists there is still menace in his side – not least from record signing Odsonne Edouard.
“We are confident we can get goals,” said Rodgers.
“In the first two or three minutes of the game in Salzburg, we scored. Right on half-time we could have been 2-0 up.
“We feel we can score goals, absolutely. But it is just reinforcing that confidence in our work and how we play.
“The performance in Salzburg probably coincided with us being a wee bit patchy in terms of our form domestically, but we have been getting better and better.
“Hopefully we can take the confidence in our performance level into these games and look to show our true way of working.”
Asked if £10m man Edouard is ready to be Celtic’s main man after bagging two goals in two games, Rodgers agreed he could be.
“He’s a different type of striker. He’s not a target man,” he said.
“The ball can go up to him and he can hold it up – you’ve seen that often enough – and lots of times it will stay.
“But he’s different to, Moussa. A different physicality, a different type.
“He’s 6ft 2, he’s strong and he’s quick. I’d like to think he’ll be a good reference. And he’s shown that enough.”
Celtic will be strengthened in Germany by the return of on-loan Leicester City defender Filip Benkovic.
But against a side currently sitting second in the Bundesliga – and with ambitions, like Celtic, that lie beyond and above the Europa League – Rodgers recognises his team will need to be at their very best to get a result.
“I don’t think there is any doubt both Red Bull teams see themselves as Champions League sides,” he said.
“The structure of the club, everything about them, is built around being in there.
“Red Bull felt they should have been in there and probably Leipzig as well.
“We go to Leipzig hoping to be much better than we were when we played Red Bull. But it will be a tough examination.”
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe