Had things gone in a different direction, Brendan Rodgers could have found himself lining up with Zenit St Petersburg manager Roberto Mancini rather than preparing to compete against him.

Out of work and out of the game after being sacked following a difficult six-month period at Reading, Rodgers was offered a route back into football via an invitation to become Mancini’s sidekick at Manchester City.

Rodgers and Mancini lunched in a Milanese hotel as the chance to assume a number two position materialised. However, when Swansea offered Rodgers the managerial post the allure of being his own man won the day.

“He’s a good man,” said Rodgers. “I was out of work at the time and between jobs. I got a call out of the blue from Manchester City. They were looking to get someone in to coach for the following season because they were trying to develop this style of football. I was at a crossroads. I didn’t know if I’d get another job or not. I’d applied for three jobs and never even got an interview.

“At that stage I thought I might struggle. Statistically the numbers tell you as well, especially first time managers, don’t get another chance.

“This was me sacked from my second job, so I thought I might need to go and be a no.2 somewhere.”

“I was still early on in my plan. The strategy was to become a manager at 38 - I was actually one at 35.

“They flew me out to meet Roberto in Milan at the end of the season and I spent a bit of time with him there. It was in that period I got the chance to go to Swansea so it didn’t materialise.

“I was still within my timeline. I was asked to speak to Man City because of my coaching at Chelsea, I’d worked with big players and communicated with big players.

“If I couldn’t get a manager’s job, that was the next best place to go, especially as the Man City project was very exciting.

“When choice came to be a no.1 at Swansea and David Platt joined Mancini at City.

“From a human side, Roberto was a nice guy. Kolo Toure could obviously tell you a lot more about his work at Man City. I knew him from meeting him and playing against his sides."

The draw was kind but that is no guarantee that the experience will be the same.

If Europe’s elite tournament was a chastening experience this term for the Parkhead side – 18 goals conceded does not make for a fun time in anyone’s book – then the Europa League has been viewed as a chance for some kind of redemption.

Ominously, Zenit St Petersburg can claim to have one over on Rodgers already.

“It’s a gorgeous city,” enthused the Celtic manager, who will not be there to admire the view. “I was there in 2012 with Liverpool and they had the likes of Hulk and Luciano Spalletti was the manager.

“We were out there in the first leg and they won 2-0. We needed three to win at Anfield. It was probably the only mistake Jamie Carragher made when I was there, he was short with a backpass and Hulk scored.

“It meant we needed four but we got to three. We had half an hour to get another one. We hit the post, everything, but we just couldn’t get another one it finished up three each and we went out on away goals.”

If Celtic were bruised in what was a formidable Champions League group this term, Zenit, by contrast, dominated their Europa League group on their way to the last 32 spot. The Russians finished top of the pool on 16 points after five wins and one draw, with Real Sociedad four points adrift in second. Rosenborg – whom Celtic faced on route to Group B in the Champions League - and finished third.

Zenit also finished the group stage campaign as the competition's top scorers with 17 from their six matches while conceding just five goals.

What may work in Celtic’s favour is the three month winter shutdown that kicked in for Russian football last night. Zenit played their final game of the year against Akhmat Grozny last night with the next fixture not due now until March, a situation that is akin to the one the Parkhead side face when embarking on their annual pilgrammage through the qualifiers.

“If you look at it in reverse, it’s a little bit like the challenges we face at the end of a season, coming straight into it,” said Rodgers. “And some of the teams we have to play in qualification are already in season.

“Naturally, it’s difficult. They had their last game last night and then they’re off on their winter break. Then they will be back, I suppose, some time in January, trying to get ready for that game. They will have a breather, a break and they will have winter training somewhere.

“Then they will be back. Of course, if you are in rhythm, in mid-season, it is better but they will see it as something they just have to get over.”

Zenit have former Chelsea defenders Branislav Ivanovic and Yuri Zhirkov in their squad, as well as a host of Russian internationals, including Viktor Fayzulin and Igor Smolnikov, and Italy internationalist Domenico Criscito.