Brendan Rodgers brewing Celtic cocktail for Champions League success with two ingredients key to making foes nauseous

Here comes the tricky bit. The art of finding the balancing act and of putting into practice in the most dangerous place of all.

Because, as much as Brendan Rodgers has always bristled at the very mention of the word ‘pragmatism’ – or of its importance against Europe’s elite – he’s learned enough over these past seven years to realise that at least a little bit of it is required on nights such as these. Where once he said there was no need for Celtic to curb their enthusiasm for front foot football on the biggest stage of all, he accepts now that a different structural approach might be required when Lazio arrive in the east end of Glasgow tonight for the second match of Group E.

Even if he does so a little grudgingly. This time last year it was Ange Postecoglou who was refusing to learn the same lesson. And, despite the Australian’s success story in Scottish football, even he left the European stage with his tail between his legs after a succession of beatings from Real Madrid and RB Leipzig.

And while Rodgers refutes any suggestion that he’s not as tactically bold or ambitious as the Aussie – he knows this is an appropriate moment to throw a protective arm around a side which can often be too brave for its own good. It’s only a fortnight since they left Feyenoord with another blood nose on opening night after all. And Rodgers nodded: “I just think that each day and each game that has gone by, we’re just improving and developing and that’s what I expect.

“I’ve not asked too many different things of them to what Ange has asked of them before but there are certain elements that I bring my own stamp to it. I am an offensive, aggressive, attacking coach – but I like to have control, you know?

“I don’t like to be flying