Celtic’s return to the Group stages of the Champions League last season after a five year absence in September 2022 ended in disappointment in terms of the results but optimism in terms of the performances. Ange Postecoglou, like the majority of his Celtic squad was experiencing Champions League football for the first time and opened with a mouthwatering home tie against the then current European Champions Real Madrid at Celtic Park.
For an hour Celtic were the better team. Liel Abada had an early chance to give Celtic the lead, then Callum McGregor’s shot from the edge of the area hit the inside of the Madrid goals before bouncing to safety. Celtic were on top and those Hoops supporters who were confident enough about placing a sports bet online at Betiton on an unlikely Celtic victory were getting very excited indeed. Then early in the second half Daizen Maeda had the best chance of all to get Celtic ahead but failed to make a decent connection with the goal at his mercy.
Then Real Madrid woke up and taught Celtic a harsh lesson about failing to take your chances at this level. In the end Celtic played well in all six games but had just two points from draws against Ukrainian Champions Shakhtar Donetsk to show for it – Celtic probably should have won both of those matches. Defeats to German side RB Leipzig and Real Madrid home and away left Celtic failing even to progress to the Europa League meaning that there was no European football after Christmas for the Scottish Champions.
Ange Postecoglou talked about getting the side ready for another crack at European football’s premier club competition but those plans came to nothing as Tottenham Hotspur tempted the Australian coach to the Premier League, with an offer he could simply not reject.
Celtic turned to Brendan Rodgers, who returned to the club in June after walking out in February 2019, causing much consternation among a bitterly disappointed Celtic support. Rodgers knew when he came back that not all Celtic fans were prepared to forgive and forget and the only way to achieve that was to be successful.
Postecoglou had won the treble and five trophies from the six he competed for in Scottish football. We’ll never get to know who he was planning to sign but what we do know is that Brendan Rodgers had very little to do with the summer signings in what has become known as Celtic’s Project window.
Postecoglou’s signings were thrilling, successful and increased the value of the Celtic squad significantly.
Three players who were instrumental in Celtic’s treble success last season left the club in the summer. Aaron Mooy decided to retire due to a persistent back problem, Carl Starlet wanted a move to Spain and was sold to Celta Vigo and Jota was the subject of a £25m bid from mega-rich Saudi side Al-Ittihad.
Despite a busy transfer window only Honduran winger Luis Palma has established himself as a first team player and Rodgers has also had bad luck with injuries losing Reo Hatate, Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda and Cameron Carter-Vickers – all four hugely important to this Celtic squad.
In the Champions League it’s the same old story, with Celtic on just one point from five games ahead of Wednesday night’s group stage match-day six against Dutch Champions Feyenoord, who defeated nine-man Celtic 2-0 in Rotterdam on match-day one.
Celtic impressed at home against both Lazio and Atletico Madrid and were unlucky not to win both games. Instead Lazio stole the win with a stoppage time winner at Celtic Park and Atletico equalised to take a point from their trip to Glasgow. Celtic lost heavily in Madrid (6-0) and it was still pointless in Rome although the scoreline was more respectable (2-0).
Celtic’s fate was sealed by that defeat at the Stadio Olimpico – yet again Celtic failed to ensure European football after Christmas and this was one of the stated aims laid out by Brendan Rodgers when he spoke to the media after returning to the club.
Celtic have not won a Champions League game at Celtic Park in a decade and on Wednesday must put that awful statistic to bed once and for all. The match is a 60,000 sell-out and the Celtic support will be demanding the three points that will double the total achieved by Ange Postecoglou last season.
It’s not much, but it’s something. And when this campaign concludes on Wednesday night the Celtic support will be looking for answers from the Celtic Board on why the club failed to sign quality players able to compete at Champions League level. Celtic is a cash rich club with over £70m in the bank, much of that coming from the Celtic support.
For a club that once was one of the leading clubs in European football, the decline in status to minnows status is simply unacceptable. Ange Postecoglou said he’d do something about it. Brendan Rodgers wasn’t backed in the summer but in January and again in the summer Celtic must invest to make the club once again Champions League ready at the third time of asking.
