Alex Valle, who was awarded the prestigious Sandman Man of the Match on Wednesday night, has been speaking about Celtic making and taking a point in Bergamo against Atalanta…
Gian Piero Gasperini’s superb side made up for drawing a blank against The Green Wall by putting six past hapless Verona who were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time last night.
“They make it look easy does Atalanta, such is their goalscoring form at the moment,” the commentator says in the highlights video below…
Even more impressive
This 6-1 victory for Atalanta against Verona actually makes the Celtic result in midweek even more impressive!
Looking back on that game in Bergamo, Alex Valle had this to say: “It was a great feeling on Wednesday night – not just because of the result – but the way we did it. We showed a great shape off the ball which sometimes here in the Scottish league, we might not show all the time.
“We stayed together and managed to get a point in a really difficult match against the Europa League winners. So we were really happy because we now know that, as a team, we can play in a different way. We now know that – if we stay together as a team – we can manage to do great things.
“We didn’t have the possession at all times in the game against Atalanta. But we still had a few chances. So it proves that if you stay together, anything is possible. And from a personal point of view, it was my first start in a Champions League match so I was really pleased.”
Attention turns to Motherwell
For today’s trip to Motherwell, Valle will have competition for the left-back starting place in the Celtic side, with Greg Taylor now available after being sidelined with a calf injury.
Brendan Rodgers will make the call on that one, whether to retain Valle in the side, or rest his legs after his energy-sapping night in the Champions League and instead go with the fresh legs provided by Greg Taylor. The manager will have similar scenarios to consider all over the pitch – does Cameron Carter-Vickers come in for Auston Trusty or maybe Liam Scales deserves a rest? Hatate or Bernardo, Idah or Kyogo, Engels or McCowan and on it goes.
Competition for places
Valle though relishes the competition for places. “The competition between myself and Greg is really healthy, ” he said as reported by Daily Record. “He’s a great person and a great player also. It was unfortunate for Greg to get injured but these things happen in football.
“But it has given me the opportunity to come into the team. I’ve tried to take my chance and give the best I can. Whether I stay in there is not my decision, I’m just trying to do everything I can in every game and training session.”
Valle recognises the task ahead of Celtic this afternoon with a tough away fixture against Motherwell at Fir Park, coming on the back of that energy sapping night in Bergamo.
It’s a hard thing to do
“It’s a hard thing to do, coming back from a European match to play in a tough Scottish league game. But we have to show our strength from the Champions League and take that into Sunday’s game, which will be difficult. We have to be as competitive as we can to try and win the game.”
On his longer term plans, Valle, who is on a season long loan from Barcelona, is content to enjoy his year at Celtic before considering what’s next, and both clubs will have their own views on what they want to do.
01.10.2024, UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund – Celtic Glasgow. Alex Valle Celtic FC with Julien Duranville Borussia Dortmund
I just go year-by-year
“At the moment, I’m just looking forward to this season, I just go year-by-year. I don’t know what will happen in the future. But I’m enjoying it here. I love this city, it’s been great for me so far. First of all, I want to learn as much as I can here.
“I’m a young player so it’s really important to play as much as I can and develop. Then, if trophies come I’ll be happy, of course. That’s what we want, everyone at Celtic, the fans and the players. It’s normal that we want to achieve that. We want to win as many trophies as we can this season.”
Valle is certainly loving his time at Celtic and enjoying living in Glasgow. “This move has been great for me so far. I have full confidence in myself, my team-mates, the staff – everyone at the club. They’ve been really close to me and they’ve helped me a lot.
The city of Glasgow is awesome
“The city of Glasgow is awesome, I really like it. I’m really happy here. I’ve been settling in the city and at the club but it takes time, especially because of the style and the way we play. It’s different to where I’ve come from. So I’ve had to adapt and get better in every game. With confidence and getting minutes, I’ve been improving every week. But I still think I can do more and go even further.
“I’m still finding myself here but I’m getting more confident. The style of play in Scotland is not totally different to Spain but certain aspects are. It’s definitely more physical here, there is more contact. But at Celtic we’re used to having the ball a lot, which is the same as at Barcelona. So in that aspect, I’m fairly comfortable.”
Âlex Valle of Celtic FC during a Champions League Group game, Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic, at Signal Luna Park, Dortmund, Photo Ulrik Pedersen
Celtic’s left-back luxury
So Celtic now have the luxury of having two quality performers at left-back and it has been quite a while since that has been the case. But with Valle being a loan signing and Greg Taylor’s contract running out at the end of the season, there’s clearly cause for concern here.
Brendan Rodgers said a few weeks ago that sorting Greg Taylor’s contract was a priority but there’s been no developments since. Maybe Michael Nicholson will have some good news on that front shortly? Let’s hope so.
Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW!
