PATRICK Roberts is confident Celtic have a forward line every bit as lethal as tomorrow’s Champions League visitors Paris Saint-Germain – and that Brendan Rodgers’ men can spring a major surprise in their opening Group B match.
The French champions are set to unleash the most expensive strike force in football history in the East End of Glasgow – world-record £198 million signing Neymar, his £165m sidekick Kylian Mbappe and £60m man Edinson Cavani.
As a result of their lavish summer recruitment spend, Unai Emery’s side are second favourites to triumph in Europe’s premier club competition behind defending champions and 12-time winners Real Madrid. Ominously for Celtic, Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani were all on target in PSG’s emphatic 5-1 triumph over Metz in Ligue 1 on Friday night.
However, Roberts believes his team also have attacking players who can hurt their opponents. The on-loan Manchester City winger said: “Obviously, the league we play in isn’t the same as their league, but we know the quality we have in the team.
“On our day we can kill teams off. We have some real firepower with Odsonne [Edouard] coming in and Griff [Leigh Griffiths]. It is good. We shouldn’t be underestimated.
“The first game is at Celtic Park which is important for us. If we can get the fans behind us then we can hurt them with our counter attacks and our speed.
“I have just come back in, but you can see the boys were putting in the work throughout the summer and have kept their performances at the same level as last year. We will go into the game positive and focused.”
The 20-year-old, who is hoping to be involved in the match after playing for 67 minutes of Celtic’s 4-1 win at Hamilton Accies on Friday night – in which Edouard scored – feels that Celtic gained invaluable experience in last season’s Champions League.
They played Barcelona, Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City and managed to draw with their German rivals away and their English opponents both home and away.
“Last year we competed against the best and this year we have a similar type of group,” Roberts added. “We go into it the same way as we did last year. But we are more experienced now. We know what the Champions League is like. We will go into it more confident and hopefully get something out of the games.”
“In this game, I won’t show any fear. They are all human at the end of the day and so am I. I give my best. I want to perform at the highest level. I know I’ve got to do that. When the gaffer put the team up on Friday and I was starting, it was obviously good for me. I need to get some games under my belt and get as fit as possible.
“I have always felt ready, but obviously I don’t have the match sharpness that the other lads have had from being involved over the summer. So to get 60 or 70 minutes the other night was important. I felt good and I felt sharp.
“The Celtic fans know what I’m about and the manager knows what I’m about. It’s just about me going out on to the pitch and doing what I know and what I’ve always done. I relish it. I love getting the fans off their seats and hopefully producing a performance they enjoy. I think we did that the other night. I was pleased with my performance.”
Edouard, the 19-year-old French striker who has joined Celtic on loan from PSG for the season, received a round of applause from his new team-mates in the dressing room on Friday night after scoring on his debut.
Roberts believes the centre-forward and fellow new recruits Kundai Benyu, Olivier Ntcham and Jonny Hayes have further strengthened the Parkhead club.
“Odsonne’s English is going to need a bit of work on it, but he is a top lad and a great player,” Roberts said. “He is a good addition to the side. He is obviously, strong, quick and, as you saw the other night, he can score goals.
“To have a third striker is important. He did really well. He worked hard and got his goal. He is only young. It is a good learning experience for him to come here.”
Roberts added: “I think it was important to keep together everyone who was here last season. I was the only one who wasn’t. It is good that we kept the whole squad together – and we’ve added new faces who will create competition for places, too.”
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