Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has explained that his decision to substitute Colby Donovan at halftime during the Europa League defeat to Braga was a tactical one, not performance-related.
The young right-back made his first senior home start in the 2–0 loss at Parkhead, but with Celtic trailing at the interval, Rodgers opted to make a change — bringing on Marcelo Saracchi and switching to a 3-4-3 formation.
Speaking after the match, Rodgers clarified that Donovan’s withdrawal wasn’t a reflection of his display. “No, no — it was purely tactical,” he said.
“The young lad has been excellent since coming into the side. It was simply about changing the team’s shape and giving us a different structure.”
Asked if the second-half system might be something he uses again, Rodgers added: “Yes, definitely. I used that setup during my first spell here.
“I’ve probably had to adjust our shape more than ever before this season, mainly because we’re seeing so much of the ball and dominating possession.
When the game demands it, I’ll always look to adapt.
“Our style doesn’t change — we always want to play on the front foot — but the structure can.
I thought it worked reasonably well after the break, and the players handled it well. It’s something we might look at again.”
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