Celtic UEFA Champions League Preview 2025/2026: Brendan Rodgers Tactics For Europe’s Elite – Team Analysis

Celtic begin their UEFA Champions League campaign this week in the play-off round against Kazakhstan Premier League champions Kairat Almaty.

The Hoops will be hoping to at least match their successful run in the competition last season, which saw them progress from the group stage to face Bayern Munich in the knockout phase.

Last term, it took a 94th-minute goal in the Allianz Arena for the German giants to see off the impressive Scottish Premiership Champions.

Throughout their 10 games in last seasons competition, Celtic conceded 17 goals, with only two of the 25 teams that qualified from the group stage conceding more. 

However, 11 of those goals came in two games away from home against Borussia Dortmund (7-1) and Aston Villa (4-2). 

Following their hammering in Dortmund, Celtic kept three clean sheets in their six remaining group stage matches against Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb, and BSC Young Boys.

Celtic also scored in all but two of their matches throughout the competition, only failing to find the net away to Atalanta and Dinamo, and tallied a total of 15 goals. 

This tactical analysis will analyse Brendan Rodgers tactics, with particular focus on Celtics out-of-possession shape in the attacking, middle, and defensive zones of the pitch. 

Celtic 4-4-2 High Press

As the above image from RB Leipzigs visit to Celtic Park shows, when the ball was in high areas, Celtic pressed aggressively with two forwards in a 4-4-2 shape. 

Midfielder Reo Hatate stepped up beside striker Kyogo Furuhashi to create the two.