Brendan Rodgers: The Champions League needs Celtic - so why are they trying to keep us out?

If Uefa agree to a controversial scheme put forward by, among others, European Club Association president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the top four clubs from the leading ranking nations - currently Spain, England, Germany and Italy - would go directly into the group stages every season.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has been fighting these proposals, which could well come into affect from the 2018-19 season.

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Many clubs are understandably furious that more than half of the 32 spots in the group stage would be taken up by clubs from the top four nations every year, no matter if they have had little previous success in Europe.

And Rodgers can't believe anyone in football would agree to a plan that, if implemented, would make it harder for pervious European champions to qualify just because they were not worth as much money as the clubs in the richest leagues.

Read more: Leigh Griffiths: We won't repeat the stupid mistakes which kept Celtic out of the Champions League

The Parkhead boss said: "I think for European football, they need the big clubs in there. But Celtic is a big club, a huge club.

"The competition is a better place for clubs such as Celtic and Ajax; teams with this great history of the European Cup and Champions League.

“I can understand there will powers-that-be who want these clubs in there, but Celtic has the right to be in there. If we are fighting and are a champion, then we have every right to be in there.

“It’s not just for the club, it is for the opposition as well because for them to come to Celtic Park is an experience many great players over the years after spoken about. It is one of the best experiences they have ever had.

“So European football deserves Celtic at the top table. Okay. There obviously has to be conditions for them (the other clubs) to get there as well.

"I understand and respect the money in England. I was a part of it for a number of years. I see where that’s at.

“But surely it’s not all about the money. It’s about the prestige and there has to be a door open and a door wide enough for the type of club like Celtic and the great historical clubs of European football.”

Beating Hapoel Be'er Sheva would do Celtic's cause a lot of good, as it would earn the club at least £15million, and Rodgers admitted, it would also be nice to remind the likes of Rummenigge what his club is all about.

Rodgers said: "There are many reasons why we want to be in there. I think it helps us in our standing as a nation here in Scotland.

"For us, we see it as an obligation of the big club to try and make that step in. That hopefully gives more power and pride back into the nation here.

"We accept that responsibility as a great club."

Selling Celtic to an English-based player is a lot easier a task for Rodgers when he could offer them at least six matches in the biggest club competition on the planet.

Rodgers said: "It certainly makes it more attractive. There is no doubt about that. I think every player would love to play at Champions League level.

"Whatever we have we will have European football here this season, which is important for Celtic.

‘But certainly we want to have the best European football, which is Champions League and that does help if you are trying to bring in players."

Hapoel will look for a draw at Celtic Park and so it will be up to Celtic to find a way to break down a defence which has served the Israeli champions well so far this season.

Rodgers said: "This team played Olympiacos with a back five. I would say there is less individual talent within this team than Astana in the last round, but they are very much a team.

"They are very, very workmanlike, they really make it difficult for you to score goals, they play five along the back and the goalkeeper is six.

"The two midfield players are eight and the two guys on the sides filter back to make 10 or sometimes eleven behind the ball.

"They are very much a team that are dogged, very robust and happy to defend without the ball.

"We have to be patient, we want to be aggressive and counter pressing will be important and, obviously, when you have chances at this level you have to take them."