Europa League: Celtic v Sturm Graz

Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow Date: Thursday, 23 October Time: 20:00 BST

Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app

Brendan Rodgers has "never been more motivated" in his time at Celtic as he looks to get a disappointing Europa League campaign on track.

With only a point from two games before Thursday's home tie with Sturm Graz, Rodgers stated he had "no regret" over comments he made making comparisons between a Honda Civic and a Ferrari when describing his side following defeat at Dundee on Sunday.

He conceded the club is facing a "tough moment" after a Champions League exit and fan protests directed at the board following the summer transfer window but was keen to re-affirm his commitment to changing their fortunes.

"If I look at my own style as a coach, it's a transformational style," he said.

"I've never been so more motivated in my time at Celtic. I can come into a club and teach and inspire and motivate players and at this point in time, I can't be any more motivated to turn it around.

"It's okay when you're winning trophies and playing great football and everything else. We all have seen the challenges from the summer through to now and the continuation of that.

"I'm so determined to try and turn the feeling around and the feeling on and off the pitch because for me, it's not what Celtic is about or not what Celtic should be about."

Rodgers had said in the wake of Sunday's 2-0 Scottish Premiership loss at Dens Park Celtic had lost "firepower" and said: "There's no way you'll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, 'I want you to drive it like a Ferrari'. It's not going to happen."

And on Wednesday, he gave more insight to his general feelings on the team, whose win ratio has dipped since last season's Champions League knockout defeat by Bayern Munich.

A late season injury to Jota has kept the Portuguese winger on the sidelines while winger Nicolas Kuhn was sold months after prolific striker Kyogo Furuhashi's January exit.

"You will get frustrated at times," Rodgers said. "You're only human and you will get disappointed.

"We were talking six months ago about challenging at the latter stages of the Champions League. And now we're losing these types of games [against Dundee].

"So, I'm super motivated to do the very best that I can for this club and that motivation is burning inside to be able to do that."

A year ago, should Celtic have been drawn at home against Sturm Graz in the Champions League, they would have been firm favourites to win.

Even when the draw was made for this Europa League campaign, the Austrian champions at home would, on paper, appear a great chance for three points.

That confidence could have been justified on the basis Sturm, though champions of Austria, are not a team to be feared with lots of star names.

Nonetheless, as they showed three weeks ago against Rangers, they are capable of taking advantage of a vulnerable side low in confidence, which is what Celtic appear to be right now.

Graz have won four games in a row including the downing of Rangers at home, and won 11 of 15 overall this season, though they did lose to Midtjylland in their Europa League opener.

Georgia international Otar Kiteishvilli is their star man, scoring eight goals in 11 appearances this season from the tip of Sturm's midfield diamond.

He grabbed the second goal against Rangers and has netted in both of Sturm's games since then, both late strikes to defeat bottom-half Austrian Bundesliga opposition.

Sturm Graz are very beatable opposition for Celtic, regardless of their form. But if the Celtic side of Dens Park turn up, then the Austrian champions will feel they are there for the taking.

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda is absent, the Japan international experiencing stiffness to his lower back and hamstring.

Canada right-back Alistair Johnston is available following a hamstring problem.

Celtic defender Liam Scales: "Everyone just needs to buy into the system that we want to play and get back to basics in that sense of running more than the opposition, being more clinical, faster and more decisive.

"We know that [Celtic supporters are] behind us, they want us to win as much as we want to win. We know obviously the protests aren't directed at us. It hasn't had much effect on me.

"It's definitely not a must-win but it's really important for us to win this game. We need to really just perform well and get three points on the board."