Celtic's Rodgers Unsure if Aberdeen Can Compete for Title

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has expressed uncertainty about whether Aberdeen can sustain their strong start to the Scottish Premiership and compete for the title. Both teams have won their first seven matches of the season, placing Celtic at the top of the league on goal difference as they prepare to face Aberdeen in Glasgow on Saturday.

Aberdeen, managed by Jimmy Thelin, has enjoyed a perfect start to their campaign, winning all 13 games this season. However, Thelin has downplayed their title chances, stating it's "way too early" to consider Aberdeen as contenders, a sentiment echoed by Rodgers. "I don't know, is the honest answer," he said when asked about Aberdeen's potential to maintain their current form throughout the season. "It's only seven games in. There's such a long, long way to go in the season. It's how you deal with the bumps in the road as well, which will always determine where you finish and how you end up."

Rodgers acknowledged Thelin's impressive impact on the team, highlighting that Aberdeen appears to have a clear understanding of their playing style, both in attack and defense. "You win seven straight games in your league, then you've done really, really well," he added.

In terms of player availability, Celtic will be without Greg Taylor for the upcoming matches against Aberdeen and Atalanta in the Champions League. However, there is hope for the return of defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who is recovering from a toe injury. Rodgers emphasized the need to avoid rushing Carter-Vickers back into action given his injury history.

Rodgers also took the opportunity to address the issue of pyrotechnics among Celtic supporters. The club was recently fined nearly £17,000 by UEFA due to incidents involving flares during their Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund. Additionally, Celtic received a suspended ban on selling tickets to away fans for one European match if further breaches occur in the next two seasons.

Rodgers urged fans to refrain from using pyrotechnics, emphasizing that such actions do not contribute to a positive atmosphere and only risk further penalties for the club. "If you keep doing it, you're showing that you don't really care," he warned. "You don't really care for the team. You don't care for the support and you don't care for your club because the club ultimately are getting fined as well." He stressed that the focus should be on supporting the team rather than engaging in risky behavior.