Earlier than lamenting one other bruising Champions League defeat and speculating on the place this one may go away Celtic’s possibilities of discovering a pathway by way of to the knockout levels – which at the moment are significantly slimmer than they had been – let’s acknowledge what final night time in Leipzig was all about.
This was not simply any commonplace European tie. This was top-level soccer in its best, most exhilarating type. A blistering, 100 miles an hour encounter which thundered alongside at such an infeasible tempo it was exhausting simply to look at not to mention compete in.
All thrashed out between two groups who don’t have a reverse gear between them, far much less any intention of parking buses. And constructed by two like-minded bosses who share futuristic – if excessive tariff – templates of what the trendy recreation should appear like. Because of this, this coming collectively of two groups was a breathless affair – an intoxicating cocktail of slick attacking interaction and a few completely suicidal defending.
Finally, it was additionally shattering for a Celtic facet which wanted desperately to carry one thing house with them on their late-night constitution flight however which left with nothing greater than one other bloody nostril, a crestfallen keeper and a stricken, injured captain.
Joe Hart will rightly shoulder a lot the blame for a second of insanity which, paradoxically, mirrored Jon McLaughlin’s mind freeze at Celtic Park within the first Previous Agency derby of the season. However whereas the Englishman stays an occasional legal responsibility, the lack of Callum McGregor could possibly be a long-term concern for Ange Postecoglou.
McGregor was injured within the blurring build-up to RB Leipzig’s opening objective. And, from the second he limped out of view, Celtic had been working with no fulcrum in the course of the pitch. They did handle to haul themselves stage at first of the second half however, minus McGregor, this contest rapidly turned a mismatch.
The Germans scored three ultimately but it surely might’ve been six or seven. And none of it bodes nicely for subsequent Tuesday night time when this pair will go at it another time in Glasgow.
With only one level from a attainable 9, there's little or no wriggle room left if Celtic have any ambitions left of extending their keep in UEFA’s premier occasion. That thought alone most likely should make Postecoglou rethink his strategy to enjoying at this elite stage. That it nearly actually gained’t, might additionally turn into a matter worthy of debate.
If we’ve discovered something concerning the Aussie over the past yr or so it’s absolutely that he tends to not spring surprises. As a rule, the massive man does precisely what it says on the tin. So there was no surprising tinkering along with his group choice – he despatched out the identical beginning XI that confronted Motherwell on the weekend – and no change both to his scorched earth attacking coverage.
With Leipzig adopting a equally aggressive, high-tempo strategy, this recreation had targets written throughout it lengthy earlier than it had even begun. That the majority of them ended up behind Hart’s internet was no nice shock.
With former Chelsea striker Timo Werner and soon-to-be Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku forming a part of a fluid, four-man German assault, the percentages at all times appeared pretty closely stacked in opposition to the guests.
However the opening couple of minutes underlined what Celtic had been up in opposition to as Leipzig got here thundering out the traps. They may have conceded twice in that point. That stated, they might have scored two of their very own within the frantic seven minutes which adopted.
And so the tone was set for a breakneck first half. If Postecoglou had even probably the most distant inclination for self safety he might need intervened at this stage and demanded extra security and warning from his gamers.
That he did nothing of the type helped create a compelling spectacle – but in addition left them large open to nearly each German assault. Of which there appeared an infinite provide.
VAR got here to the rescue for the primary time in 17 minutes when Nkunku clipped a sand wedge of a end over the advancing and horribly uncovered Hart. Replays confirmed the Frenchman’s knee had strayed right into a goalscoring place earlier than the remainder of him had caught up.
However this Rolls Royce of a participant was solely simply getting his motor heat. Halfway by way of the half he planted a foot on the accelerator to race by way of on Hart for a second time, rounding the keeper earlier than lasering house from a good angle to seek out the again of Celtic’s internet.
In between occasions there was all method of mayhem with Leipzig even managing to lose a goalkeeper amid the chaos. Celtic created some large scoring possibilities too however might take none of them to the plain frustration of their supervisor.
One of the best of the lot got here on the peak of the insanity when Hungarian No.1 Peter Gulacsi felt a knee buckle beneath him as he raced to make a hurried clearance and, as he collapsed to the bottom, Reo Hatate failed to seek out his unguarded internet from 20 yards.
But it surely was the lack of McGregor 10 minutes earlier than half-time which broken Celtic greater than any sloppy ending. Jota’s equaliser, expertly created and brought at first of the second half, provided some transient respite and hope for the guests.
However this was rapidly to turn into a chastening expertise from that time onwards.
The scientific Germans seized whole management of the central areas and swarmed ahead in even larger numbers, sensing there have been extra targets to be scored.
When Celtic had been spared for a second time by VAR – ruling out a strike from Dominik Szoboszlai – it did appear that they had caught a much-needed break. However seconds later Hart was scuffing a horrible cross straight to the exact same participant and Andre Silva was introduced with a present.
Celtic’s distress on the night time was full when Nkunku unlocked their defence with a raking diagonal cross for the rampaging Mohamed Simikan to arrange Silva once more with a cushioned cross.
The concern is there could possibly be an awesome deal extra struggling the place that got here from when these sides meet once more in lower than per week.
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