Brendan Rodgers says context ‘totally different’ as Celtic face Hibs again

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers expects a very different game as his side look to reverse their recent defeat against Hibernian.

The champions lost 2-1 at Easter Road two weeks ago, days after conceding a last-gasp equaliser against Bayern Munich in Germany to go out of the Champions League.

Having not had a midweek game for the first time in 11 weeks, Rodgers feels his side will be in better shape for Saturday’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final at Parkhead.

“The context of the game is totally different to when we played a couple of weeks ago,” Rodgers said.

“We’ve had 150 per cent focus this week on the game. The energy in the game will be totally different.

“And I expect a difficult game, but I also expect Hibs to have a very difficult game also.

“The context of that game, we were coming off the back of a really, really busy, busy schedule, coming off an away European game.

“It’s pretty unique, really, over the course of the last three months or so (to have a free midweek).

“And you can’t begin to imagine what that gives you in terms of the opportunity to prepare, to recover, mentally and physically.

“And we’re playing at home, which we love to play at home. We’ll have 50,000-odd supporters that will be with us in the game. And we’re very hungry to get to Hampden.”

Hibs’ win was also mired in controversy after Daizen Maeda had an equaliser ruled out when the VAR officials ruled that Alistair Johnston had run the ball out before cutting it back for the Japan attacker.

Scottish Football Association head of referees Willie Collum this week admitted video assistant Alan Muir should not have intervened because there was no conclusive evidence that the ball was out.

Rodgers said: “Hibs started well, got the goal after a few minutes, which gave them belief. And then they scored late on in the half.

“Second half, we dominated the game. I felt that we got an equaliser in, what, 82 minutes, which then can change the course of the game and the result. But it wasn’t to be.

“But I’ve come away from the game seeing a team that’s very well organised, in a different space to what they were at the beginning of the season, very structured in their play in the game. And they’ve got some dangerous players.

“So it’s a game we know we have to be very good in to get to the semi-final.”