Celtic boss knows what to expect from Europa League opponents
Celtic's Europa League draw against Roberto Mancini's Zenit St Petersburg has provided familiar territory for Brendan Rodgers.
The Hoops boss was in charge at Liverpool at the same stage of the competition in 2013 when the Reds lost on away goals to the Russian side.
Speaking at Celtic's Lennoxtown training complex after the last-32 draw, Rodgers revealed he could also have linked up with Italian boss Mancini at
Manchester City in 2010 when the Northern Irishman was between jobs.
Zenit will visit Parkhead on February 15 with the return game in Russia the following week.
Rodgers said: "I was there with Liverpool, we played the first leg away and lost 2-0 when they had obviously big investment in the team at the time.
"We had played well out there but gave a couple of sloppy goals away which was disappointing.
"In the second leg at home we went 1-0 down early on which was a 3-0 deficit but got back the three goals and we just needed one more.
"We had 25 minutes/half-hour to score it and went close and couldn't just make it so we went out on away goals.
"I think they are doing okay in their league. They have a few experienced players and I remember Branislav Ivanovic from Chelsea, who is there
"We are delighted to be in the draw, it is a really exciting game for us.
"St Petersburg is a beautiful city from my memory so we will look forward to that when the game comes along and it will be nice to see Roberto Mancini again.''
Rodgers recalled how he almost joined Mancini as a first-team coach at Manchester City before he joined Swansea.
"When I was rejected as a manager at Reading and was in between jobs and I didn't think I was going to get a manager's job,'' he said.
"I was in talks with Manchester City about maybe going back there as a first-team coach.
"I spoke to the club, all went well and I flew out to Milan to meet Roberto.
"We had a nice chat and it ended up that not long after that I got the job at Swansea as a manager.
"We have come across each other since, he is a good guy, nice guy, but I haven't seen him for a couple of years now.''
Rodgers is also familiar with the problems Zenit may have playing amid a three-month winter break which starts following the away game against Terek Grozny on Monday.
He said: "It doesn't make it the easiest. We experience that a different way ourselves when we play in the Champions League qualifiers.
"Some of the teams are in season and we are just coming back and we are playing very important games, in our pre-season.
"So I suppose they have it the other way. They play tonight and then I think they will be having their break and then they are into these important games.
"So you can still qualify but of course if you are in rhythm and in season then it does make it a little bit easier.'