The picturesque beauty of St Petersburg belies its bloody history, but for Brendan Rodgers and Celtic it is all about overseeing their own quiet revolution in the new year.

Paired with Zenit St Petersburg in yesterday’s draw for the knock-out stages of the Europa League – a week will lie between the first home tie on 15th February and the return leg – there remains something aristocratic about the Russian side given the wealth within their game.

Written off as the ‘peasants’ and ‘woodcutters’ in their formidable Champions League group last week, Celtic will go into Europa League looking for some kind of atonement.

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Had things gone differently, Celtic manager Rodgers could have been lining up alongside Roberto Mancini, the Zenit St Petersburg manager, rather than plotting against him. Indeed, it was only Rodgers’ inner activist than ensured he pursued his own path rather than get comradely with Mancini.

“He’s a good man,” said Rodgers. “I was out of work at the time and between jobs. I got a call out of the blue from Manchester City. They were looking to get someone in to coach for the following season because they were trying to develop this style of football. I was at a crossroads. I didn’t know if I’d get another job or not. I’d applied for three jobs and never even got an interview.

“At that stage I thought I might struggle. Statistically the numbers tell you as well, especially first time managers, don’t get another chance.

“This was me sacked from my second job, so I thought I might need to go and be a no.2 somewhere.”

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“I was still early on in my plan. The strategy was to become a manager at 38 - I was actually one at 35.

“They flew me out to meet Roberto in Milan at the end of the season and I spent a bit of time with him there. It was in that period I got the chance to go to Swansea so it didn’t materialise.”

The draw was kind but that is no guarantee that the experience will be the same.

If Europe’s elite tournament was a chastening experience this term for the Parkhead side – 18 goals conceded does not make for a fun time in anyone’s book – then the Europa League has been viewed as a chance for some kind of redemption.

Ominously, Zenit St Petersburg can claim to have one over on Rodgers already.

“It’s a gorgeous city,” enthused the Celtic manager, who will not be there to admire the view. “I was there in 2012 with Liverpool and they had the likes of Hulk and Luciano Spalletti was the manager.

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“We were out there in the first leg and they won 2-0. We needed three to win at Anfield. It was probably the only mistake Jamie Carragher made when I was there, he was short with a backpass and Hulk scored.

“It meant we needed four but we got to three. We had half an hour to get another one. We hit the post, everything, but we just couldn’t get another one it finished up three each and we went out on away goals.”

If Celtic were bruised in what was a formidable Champions League group this term, Zenit, by contrast, dominated their Europa League group on their way to the last 32 spot. The Russians finished top of the pool on 16 points after five wins and one draw, with Real Sociedad four points adrift in second. Rosenborg – whom Celtic faced on route to Group B in the Champions League - and finished third.

Zenit also finished the group stage campaign as the competition's top scorers with 17 from their six matches while conceding just five goals.

What may work in Celtic’s favour is the three month winter shutdown that kicked in for Russian football last night. Zenit played their final game of the year against Akhmat Grozny last night with the next fixture not due now until March, a situation that is akin to the one the Parkhead side face when embarking on their annual pilgrammage through the qualifiers.

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“If you look at it in reverse, it’s a little bit like the challenges we face at the end of a season, coming straight into it,” said Rodgers. “And some of the teams we have to play in qualification are already in season.

“Naturally, it’s difficult. They had their last game last night and then they’re off on their winter break. Then they will be back, I suppose, some time in January, trying to get ready for that game. They will have a breather, a break and they will have winter training somewhere.

“Then they will be back. Of course, if you are in rhythm, in mid-season, it is better but they will see it as something they just have to get over.”

Zenit have former Chelsea defenders Branislav Ivanovic and Yuri Zhirkov in their squad, as well as a host of Russian internationals, including Viktor Fayzulin and Igor Smolnikov, and Italy internationalist Domenico Criscito.

What they also have is an ugly and infamous reputation for racism. Part of the stadium will be closed for the visit of Celtic as punishment following the display of a racist banner, an undercurrent that Rodgers has already been versed on.

“This was something I was made very aware of before the last game we played out there because of the reputation they had within the stadium,” he said. “I was aware of that side of it. But I have to say, in our game and our travel there, we didn’t have anything. It was a real intense game. Liverpool had a lot of supporters there, Zenit as well, but we had no issues with it whatsoever. There was huge policing there, but we had no issues with it.

“There is no place for it. Whether it's football or society, there is no call for it. In terms of speaking to our players about it, we'll think about that nearer the time."