Marco Rose reckons Celtic’s Japanese thrillers have the mobility and the mentality to cause RB Leipzig mayhem. And the German boss insists he’s a huge admirer of Ange Postecoglou and his attacking style as prepares to go toe-to-toe with the Aussie in Wednesday night’s Champions League cracker.
Rose is excited for the Group F showdown and potential challenge posed by the Parkhead visitors. The 46-year-old has done his homework and singled out Celtic ’s Asian stars among those most important to combat. Both Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate were on target last weekend as Postecoglou’s side defeated Motherwell to tune-up for the tie.
Complimentary on Celtic, Rose explained: “They have a team which is very active on the pitch off the ball with a lot of pace. They are very attacking with a clear idea. They are hard-working. They have two or two or three lads from Japan. It’s fun watching them.
“It’s obvious how important those guys are for Celtic. They are small, very agile, very good at one on ones. I had a Japanese player with me in the past (Takumi Minamino at Salzburg) and he symbolises the great mentality they have and they can play very well. Of course we will highlight such actions. We have to defend well. We accept the fight.”
Postecoglou has a high-octane approach similar to that of Rose and there is clear respect from the Leipzig gaffer who continued: “I admire him. His idea of football is very exciting. “I like to watch Celtic because they are attacking. They play similar to us the way they interpret football. They like to put opponents under pressure to win balls. The transition is fast with great counter-pressing.
“They are very aggressive in possession with 4-3-3, they have clear structures and ideas, but also with clear objectives to be very attacking. That is why he has been doing a great job at a great club.
“Celtic have been a great team effort off the ball and in possession. In position six, [Callum] McGregor has been doing a great job. He can relieve pressure playing very clearly. Other lads can make the difference.
"It’s just a great team and not a team that thinks defensively or about parking the bus. It will be our task to put them in difficulties. We will find spaces and we will try to take advantage.”
While Rose has plenty of plaudits for Celtic, the Leipzig boss has an armoury of weapons at his own disposal. Chelsea target Christopher Nkunku is in form, while ex-Stamford Bridge attacker Timo Werner got off the mark for his second spell at the club at the weekend.
Rose would not be drawn on the links with the Londonders to Nkunku, but said: “We don’t comment on that. We are not interested in that. We are interested in the Champions League match and that we see a good performance from Nkunku. He [Werner] is a really happy, positive guy. I don’t have the impression he has doubts. The attackers are identified by their goals.
“The days are counted when they haven’t scored, but if you believe in yourself and do your work, run your metres as Timo does, you will reward yourself. There are phases where you take a volley and the ball goes into the goal. Others miss. It happens, but everybody can see the quality Timo has.”
Rose knows the Celtic double-header tonight and on Tuesday could be pivotal in the section, but it’s one job at a time as he said: “Everything happens quickly. If you don’t win any points, you don’t get into the next round.
“But we have a home match in a full stadium and we must show the right attitude to leave the pitch as the winner. If we don’t get three points it will be very difficult for us.”
