Brendan Rodgers takes aim at 'experts' after Celtic come back to claim Sturm Graz win - 'Have to be harsh to be clear'

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Brendan Rodgers took aim at the "experts" after his Celtic side came from behind to beat Sturm Graz 2-1 in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. Celtic entered the encounter having not won in Europe since January, a run stretching seven matches, and off the back of a 2-0 Scottish Premiership defeat to Dundee on Sunday. But second-half Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren goals saw them take the victory.

Rodgers takes aim at 'experts' as Celtic end winless run in Europe

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Brendan Rodgers took aim at "outside experts" after his Celtic side came from behind to beat Sturm Graz 2-1 in the UEFA Europa League.

Celtic entered the encounter having suffered a dismal 2-0 defeat to Dundee on Sunday, a result that saw the Scottish champions sit five points adrift of league leaders Hearts after eight Scottish Premiership games.

The Bhoys had not lost back-to-back games for four years, but went behind in the first half on Thursday night through a sumptuous Tomi Horvat strike from some 30 yards out.

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But Rodgers’ men rallied, with second-half goals from Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren helping the Scottish side record their first Europa League victory this season.

"It was a brilliant performance." Rodgers told TNT Sports. "I mentioned beforehand that after setbacks you need that motivation to go and show that leadership.

"From pressure - and there was pressure going into the game - you can make progress.

Highlights: Celtic up and running in Europe with vital win over Sturm Graz

Video credit: TNT Sports

"I thought the players did that. I thought we were outstanding in the game and our attacking sense, the energy in the game, was much more like what we would want."

In the wake of Celtic's poor loss to Dundee last weekend, Rodgers made a seemingly unfavourable comparison about his side this season compared to last, saying "there's no way you'll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, 'I want you to drive it like a Ferrari'."

Reacting to how things had changed in the space of a few days, Rodgers called out Celtic’s critics.

He said: "Well, maybe all the outside experts will be able to say that it [making the comments] was poor management and it would never work.

"For me these players know how much I trust them. I think now and then you have to be harsh to be clear.

"These are men. You’re at a big club where the competition and all the endeavours are critical.

"So sometimes you have to be harsh to be clear. It’s different if the players don’t know you’re with them and don’t know that every waking moment you are thinking about them.

"For whatever reason we haven’t been at our level, but I’m glad to say as disappointing as we were on Sunday, tonight was the total opposite.

"We were so good in the game. We had to come from behind, because it was an absolute brilliant goal, but we still didn’t get disappointed, stayed focused, and the football was so good."

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