Brendan Rodgers blasts TV deal demands as Celtic boss asks broadcasters 'help our players out'

Frustrated Brendan Rodgers reckons British broadcast deals have left clubs with an uphill battle in Europe.

The Celtic boss is facing a tight turnaround from Saturday night’s Premiership encounter with St Johnstone in Perth to Tuesday’s crunch Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Meanwhile the Bundesliga outfit will have more recovery time after managing to get their weekend match against Bochum bumped back 24 hours to last night.

Rodgers insisted Celtic are far from alone in being forced into frantic schedules because of a lack of flexibility in the television deals. The Parkhead boss – who admitted Cameron Carter-Vickers will sit out the Saints trip and facing a race to be fit for Tuesday – said: “I think for all British teams it is a frustration. Borussia Dortmund played Bochum on Friday so they're able to move the game that day early.

“It gives them three full days to prepare for our game and the game at home. For us we'll probably not be home until after midnight from Perth. Then it's a very, very quick turnaround travel and then you're out playing the game. I think it's for most British teams.

“The television and the slots and everything seems to take priority over the game and preparation. But we're not the only team that's happened to have seen it for a number of years. The European guys will have their slots and they'll find agreements to help their teams prepare the best they can.

“I think if there's a Friday night slot then that would and could work well. A Friday night game can be a really good game to open up the weekend. I think it has to be beyond the clubs. I think it has to be something in place with the federations and then of course linking in with the TV.

“In fairness in Germany