By Stephen Mcgowan For The Scottish Daily Mail
Published: 00:15 GMT, 14 February 2019 | Updated: 00:15 GMT, 14 February 2019
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Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic should never give up hope of winning the Europa League.
The Scottish champions go into the first leg of their last-32 clash against Valencia on Thursday night as 80/1 outsiders to lift the trophy in the Baku Olympic Stadium in May.
And Rodgers admits the financial climate has changed massively since Celtic last reached a European final 16 years ago.
Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic should never give up hope of winning the Europa League
Asked if it's a trophy the Parkhead side can ever harbour hopes of lifting, however, Rodgers said: 'You always have to believe you can.
'I think if you look at the teams in it, there's a real array of top teams. The competition gets stronger each year because now there is a real onus on it where you can qualify for the Champions League.
'Because of that there is a real hunger there for teams to do well in it. But you always have to go in and do the very best you possibly can, that's the idea. And that's what we'll always believe.' Celtic lost to Porto in the 2003 UEFA Cup final in Seville, with Rangers also reaching the final in 2008.
Despite France Football naming the Parkhead side the 21st biggest club on the planet, however, Rodgers believes the financial gulf between clubs from the large leagues and the rest makes it harder than ever before to overcome teams like
