Celtic have to put the Champions League showdown with Atalanta into cold storage and instead concentrate on collecting the three points against title rivals Aberdeen…
After the highs of the opening day 5-1 Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava, Celtic were brought back to earth with a bump last Tuesday in Dortmund as the Hoops were humbled with a humiliating 7-1 defeat in the iconic Westfalenstadion.
Having had a perfect start to the season to-date, Celtic travelled to the Rhineland quietly confident that they could take something from the game but last year’s Champions League finalists had obviously done their homework on Brendan Rodgers’ side and exploited the ambition shown from the Scottish Champions – ruthlessly.
Rodgers himself acknowledged, via the official Celtic website, the outstanding quality shown from the Bundesliga side on the night.
“I don’t think I’ve been involved in a game where virtually every single mistake is punished. And I just felt that that’s how the game went for us. If we lost the ball, they were breaking away so fast, and how clinical they were in their finishing was incredible.
“So it was a really, really tough night for us. In the second half the guys showed good personality, showed courage to take the ball, and to play. And at least showed the spirit in the second half.
“But they were too good for us this evening.”
The Celtic captain Callum McGregor afterwards apologised to the Celtic support, with over 5000 in the stadium and thousands of others in the city, and promised that things would have to change for match-day three, which will prove to be just as tough as Dortmund.
That’s because the Hoops travel to Italy to face the current Europa League holders Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium on Wednesday 23 October. Atalanta this evening picked up their own first Champions League victory, beating Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 ‘away’. That gives them four points after two matches and sets them up nicely for the visit of Celtic. And after that result in Dortmund, you could forgive Atalanta for going into the game with plenty of confidence that they too can inflict another damaging defeat on the Hoops.
Yesterday Celtic had the perfect pick-me-up in the Highlands against Ross County, with the Champions coming from a goal down to win the points in dramatic fashion with a late winner from Nicolas Kuhn. But they’ll have to put all thoughts of what’s ahead in the Champions League into a cold storage and instead be fully focused on picking up the three points against high-flying Aberdeen a week on Saturday in the first match after the October International break. Aberdeen, like Celtic have won seven from seven in the Scottish Premiership this season so something’s got to give at Parkhead on Saturday 19 October.
Celtic actually have a game during the international break, with the Hoops playing a friendly match in Ireland against Sligo Rovers on Wednesday evening, 9 October. Then it’s back to Celtic Park for a top of the table clash with high-flying Aberdeen on 19 October, just four days before that Champions League clash with Atalanta.
That match could shape Celtic’s season and determine whether this is the year that the club at long last can make an impact in European football. But it’s Aberdeen first, Bhoys.
