“A source of inspiration” – Celtic star looking forward to heated atmosphere, can’t wait for CL clash

As Celtic prepare to face Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, players are talking to the media ahead of the game.

Joe Hart is one of those, having had a chat with VTBL in the Netherlands, relayed by Soccer News, where he was asked about the upcoming game.

One of the aspects that was discussed was the potential atmosphere Celtic will face at De Kuip stadium, which could potentially intimidate Brendan Rodgers’ players.

Of course, that isn’t something they should be put off by, since they are used to heated games at Parkhead with a great backing.

However, away from home, in a tough competition that Celtic have often struggled in, there is always a thought, at least in the local media, that it could unbalance the players.

Joe Hart was having none of it though, saying: “They are strong. It’s an exciting team that scores a lot of goals. Winning the Eredivisie last season was a very good achievement. I believe they are back in the Champions League for the first time in six years. They have a great following. I think it will be a great atmosphere during our match.

“It’s going to be a great moment. It’s a great stadium. We – and I personally – have played in places with a special atmosphere in the past. Is it intimidating? That depends on how you look at it. For me, it’s actually a source of inspiration. I love it and it makes football exciting. Things will happen during the match and it’s all about how you deal with them.”

The 36-year-old goalkeeper has been at Celtic since August of 2021, and is the undisputed number one between the sticks under Brendan Rodgers.

He has played in all six games this season, conceding four goals and keeping three clean sheets, hoping to do so once more against a team that has found the back of the net 17 times in their past three league fixtures.