It seems that for years, Celtic players and managers past and present have stressed the importance of learning from their various thumpings in the Champions League, promising their fans they have heeded the often-harsh lessons that have been dished out to them at the top level. Only for another sore defeat to duly follow.
So, it is little wonder then that the optimism that was coursing through the Celtic fanbase ahead of their trip to face Borussia Dortmund last month has been tempered dramatically on the back of the 7-1 pasting in the Westfalen, as they look ahead with some mild trepidation to taking on Atalanta in Bergamo on Wednesday night.
The Italian side may not be among the traditional giants of the European game, lacking the glamour of a PSG or the history of a Barcelona or Real Madrid, but the Europa League champions are an accomplished and formidable outfit alright under the wily guidance of Gian Piero Gasparini.
A slightly wobbly start to their Serie A campaign this term now seems to have been corrected, with back-to-back wins over Genoa and Venezia propelling them up to sixth in the table, while they have kicked off their Champions League campaign by holding Arsenal at their own Gewiss Stadium and dismissing Shakhtar Donetsk in Gelsenkirchen.
The conventional wisdom seems to be then that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will surely temper his own attacking philosophy at least a little this time around, and make some concession in his approach for the level of opposition that his team will be coming up against – despite his own protestations to the contrary.
It may be a familiar refrain, but as far as the players are concerned, the most important thing is that they show what they have taken from the bruising experience against Borussia Dortmund when they take to the field in Lombardy this midweek.
Paulo Bernardo, who seems to hold the trust of his manager for assignments at this level, believes that Celtic will be a better team for what happened to them in Dortmund.
“Yeah, for sure,” Bernardo said.
“We tried our best [against Dortmund] and our best wasn’t there, so we need to be better for the next time and be more prepared for the next game.
“It’s a different level, so we are playing against the best teams in the world, so it’s difficult, but I think we can do better.
“Already for the next game, I think we can improve, and I think we as a team learned a lot for that game too.
“The first hours are difficult [after a defeat like that] because you only think about the game, but the game is a game.
“We had Ross County maybe three or four days after the game, so I think about that maybe the day after and then it’s all about Ross County and we move on. After we win, we have to move on too, so it’s always like that.
“It’s difficult when we lose 7-1, but it’s only a game and we learned about that and now we move on.
“It was a really difficult game. For me, on the pitch it was a bit like a shock, but as I said, it was a great team.
“Dortmund were finalists of the Champions League last year and now we are aware of a big team like that this year, so we are more prepared for the next time.
“I’m really happy that I can play these games and it’s a great experience too. It’s a different level. I think we gain a lot with these games.
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“It’s more difficult, so I think we learn about that and as many as we can play these games, I think we are a step closer to be a better team.”
The test against Atalanta comes hot on the heels of a serious domestic examination for Celtic against Aberdeen at the weekend, with both sides keeping their unbeaten Premiership records intact after the pulsating 2-2 draw.
The sternness of that challenge meant that resting players for this Champions League tie was not an option for Celtic manager Rodgers, but Bernardo isn’t about to use fatigue as an excuse if his team come unstuck once more on their travels.
For Bernardo, that is simply the reality of life at a big club these days, and he cites compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo as the perfect example of how to juggle the demands placed on modern footballers at the top level.
“I think that is what separates him from the rest of the players,” he said.
“His mentality is really strong and he focuses on football like no one does, so he’s an example for me and I can learn really much from him.
“The big players of the big teams, they’ve always been at this level and they always played those matches, so we need to be ready too.
“It’s always hard to have these types of weeks, but it is what it is and we need to perform.
“It’s what I dreamed before, so I won’t complain, and I want to play every game.”
