Amid a period of seven games in 21 days, Celtic are just coming to the end of a week that is a microcosm of that hectic schedule, with two consecutive trips to Edinburgh to play Hearts one weekend, then Hibernian the next sandwiching a very testing UEFA Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.

Brendan Rodgers has masterminded these type of hurdles before, and after making formation changes during the Atletico test and being very mindful of knocks and tired players, the manager and his team are set for Saturday’s new challenge.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Celtic manager said: “You’ve got to be robust as well at the level, and I think lots of these players are.

“You play last weekend, you play midweek then you’ve got another tough game at the weekend – that’s being at a big club, so your body is trained for that and you have to prepare for that.

“But there’s no doubt, as I said last week, that over this period of seven games in 21 days, we would be making some changes within it.

‘I was really proud of the team the other night. In terms of how they played I think we’re in the process of becoming a really good side.’

“Dynamic, fast, a goal threat going forward and defensively compact, tight, aggressive, and then when the need comes in the game, to have that intelligence to change tactically, then being able to do that, and the players did that really well.

“I like teams to have that flexibility to change. We may not have to do it so much domestically, but it’s an option for us if need be to change the momentum in a game.”

And that next domestic challenge comes tomorrow (Saturday) as the Celts travel to Easter Road to take a Hibernian side under new manager, Nick Montgomery.

The Celtic boss said: “I really like what Nick’s trying to do. Obviously he’s only in the door and looking to play an offensive game, with an offensive philosophy.

“There’s probably lots of people telling him that’s not the way to work, that’s not the way to do it, but I’ve been through that many years ago in my early stages of management.

“So, I really like that they’re trying to build the game from behind, work their way through the lines with speed, with quality and looking to play an attacking game.

“It’s the traditions of Hibs as a club. They’ve always been a club that plays good football going back to the managers that have been there before, and he’s come in a looking to implement his ideas into the club and the team as well.

'They’ve had some really good performances so it’s a tough game for us.'

Celtic have had some really good performances – last week’s 4-1 win at Tynecastle and Wednesday 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid being the most recent of them – and it’s last Sunday’s rip-roaring start against Hearts that will have the most bearing on tomorrow’s Easter Road trip.

The manager said: “Every game we go into, my idea is always that good teams are quick and finish strong, and we’ve now started to take that on board, and start games very well.

“It’s imperative that that’s our idea, we want to impose our game on the opposition as early as we can and create problems for the opposition as early as we can. So there’s no change in our mentality.”

WATCH BRENDAN RODGERS’ FULL PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW:

Reo Hatate’s injury situation
Celtic’s future progress in European football
Matt O’Riley’s input
Paulo Bernardo’s opportunity
Maik Nawrocki’s challenge
The Boxing Day fixture change

Manager: No change in mentality for Celts’ visit to Easter Road