Brendan Rodgers wants Celtic payback for travel-sick fans despite Parkhead being central to qualification plot

The Celtic faithful were on the road again in Dortmund, full of hope and optimism. But instead of finding Paradise by the Ruhr, instead it ended up as another joyless journey.

For a club so dominant at home, adventures abroad have become a chastening experience for the Parkhead support. Their seven-goal shellacking at the Westfalenstadion was remarkably the 70th time the Hoops have been beaten on foreign soil since the year 2000. Brendan Rodgers has been in charge for some of the most sobering of those bitter setbacks.

First time around his side shipped seven at both the Nou Camp and the Pard des Princes. Last year it was six as Atletico Madrid wreaked havoc at the Wanda Metropolitano. It was hoped all that humiliation had been consigned to the past as the Irishman led his team to Germany with confidence scoring after an unbeaten domestic start.

But all that excitement was crushed within 45 devastating minutes as Celtic’s brutal recent history on the continent played out on repeat. In the end, it was seeing the supports' air of optimism go pop that was the most deflating aspect of a painful night for Rodgers.

“I'm really disappointed,” he said. “Firstly for the supporters. Two hours before the game, the noise in the stadium was amazing. And then during the game and after the game, you feel the journey that they've been there, and we couldn't give them more.

“I feel for the players too, because over this last seven months, the path that we've been on, and we will still continue to be on that path of improvement and development, and an exciting team to play. Things went against us in the game, and before we know it, we've conceded five goals in the first half, so it becomes a challenge in the second half.”

The challenge