You can set your watch to at this stage, after Celtic host an elite European club in the Champions League, what follows is one of their biggest players telling everyone how fantastic an impression the club and the supporters made on them.
In the past we've heard the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi - who went as far as to say that Celtic should be exempt from the qualification rounds such is their history - take turns in rubbing the belly of the green and white half of Glasgow, but following Tuesday night's meeting between Celtic and Bayern Munich, it is now Arjen Robben's turn.
Encouragingly for Celtic, this time Robben was not just praising the atmosphere generated inside Celtic Park (although he did do that too), but he proclaimed himself a fan of their style of football.
The Dutchman also suggested that they will have a great chance at winning the Europa League, and wished them the best of luck in doing so.
Celtic have a great chance to progress in the Europa League, especially at Parkhead with that kind of crowd.
If it’s 14 years since they reached a European final then I wish them all the best and I hope they can be successful and maybe get there again.
I see a more European than British style in Celtic and that’s why you have to give a big compliment to Brendan Rodgers. You can see his print on the team, the way they want to play. They want to play football, build up from the back and they did very well against us on Tuesday.
Robben continued to reveal that he had played for Rodgers' Chelsea reserve team on a number of occasions when he was recovering from injury, and expressed his happiness to once again meet the Antrim man who he described as a 'good man' as well as a good coach.
The Bayern winger then praised the Celtic fans for giving him a good reception as he left the pitch, something he is not used to experiencing around Europe.
We had some difficulties on Tuesday and didn’t play our best game. It was also our third game in six days so the rhythm wasn’t there. But we are happy to win. I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Celtic Park. The fans are something special. That is something that can be very helpful – it’s one of the best I’ve seen in Europe.
They gave me a great reception when I came off and that was very respectful and I’m very thankful for that because it’s not usual.
Another high-profile footballer hugely impressed with the Celtic Park experience.
A Europa League cup-run would be fantastic for all involved with Celtic, so let's hope Robben is onto something in that regard.
[via The Scotsman]
