Brendan Rodgers: ‘No complaints’ from Celtic boss as Aberdeen win Scottish Cup to end Hoops’ treble dream

Brendan Rodgers insisted Celtic only had themselves to blame for their treble dream ending in a Scottish Cup final defeat to Aberdeen.

Kasper Schmeichel palmed the ball into his own net to send the Dons on their way to an unlikely victory as the goalkeeper’s error cancelled out Alfie Dorrington’s early own goal.

Dimitar Mitov was Aberdeen’s penalty-saving hero as they inflicted not only Rodgers’ first Hampden defeat, but the first final defeat of his managerial career.

Conversely, Jimmy Thelin led his battling side to glory to lift the trophy for the first time since 1990.

Rodgers was crestfallen at full time, but refused to make excuses for their unexpected defeat.

“This is a team that’s given me so much with their honesty and quality of their football.

“There’s been so many times when I’d sat in here and it’s been different. I’ve had 11 finals up here and down in England and this is my first loss.

“You have to accept that. It’s part of sport and part of football.

“And as long as you can look at it and reflect honestly then we can say we weren’t good enough in our quality.

“We’ve got no one else to blame.

“Domestically, we set out to win the league, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup and we were one game from doing that.

“But this shows you how challenging and how hard it is.”

While Aberdeen had their keeper to thank, Rodgers said Schmeichel held his hands up for his part in their disappointing end to the season.

“He’s obviously apologetic to his team-mates, but he’s been outstanding for us all season,” Rodgers added.

“It was one of those moments in the game late on that can happen.

“We still had one or two other chances that we could have scored from.

“It’s just unfortunate at that time in the game.”

Aberdeen ‘dreamed big’ as Thelin handed a career high

Thelin admitted Aberdeen was a “long-term project” when he took charge of the then-struggling side last summer.

The Dons had matched Celtic in the first 11 games of the league season but their form collapsed in spectacular fashion and they ultimately finished fifth after losing their final five matches.

But their Hampden victory not only ended a long wait for silverware, it guarantees European group-stage football next season.

“I think you have to be allowed to dream big,” Thelin said.

“We’d put up some goals to go to Europe and then be in a semi-final, two semi-finals, but we arrived to the final and when you’re in a final it’s a different scenario, it’s that game.

“This sometimes is more than 90 minutes, but it’s about football and if we can stay in the game today and keep it alive and give us the chance, opportunity, they will always come in some way in the game.

“It’s easy to say now after you have won a title and a cup, but I think the first objective was to arrive to a final and when you’re in a final everything can happen and that’s why we tried to create this atmosphere this week, like give us the opportunity and even people around the club supported us and created this belief inside.

“It’s so nice to end the season in this way. Remember 20,000 here and all the people who couldn’t arrive and I’m so happy too that they can celebrate now and be so proud of Aberdeen Football Club.

“It’s a top moment for sure, I have quite a lot of emotions now I have to say, so and also so proud because my family’s back in Sweden.

“My wife and my kids have allowed me to do this journey and they’ve been so supportive all the time and so it’s an amazing day and an amazing evening in front of us.”