KIERAN TIERNEY summed up Celtic’s nervy 5-4 aggregate Champions League play-off victory in one word: “Madness!”
The left-back and his team-mates endured a torrid time against Hapoel Be’er Sheva at the Turner Stadium before cementing a place in tomorrow’s £22million draw for the group stages.
A relieved Tierney said: “Madness, that’s all I can say to describe that.
“We’re through and that’s all that really matters. It was nervous for everybody and it must have been dreadful for the fans to watch the last half-hour.
“Obviously, you are hoping for a better performance, but at this stage you’d rather just get through than play well.“It’s amazing. There are a lot of boys here who haven’t played in the Champions League yet, so it’s big for us all and it’s an experience we are all looking forward to.
“Credit goes to everybody in the changing room and all the work that gets done behind the scenes for the players. It’s brilliant.
”The manager said to us we need to believe we deserve to be there. We’ve worked hard all pre-season and that’s the reward of us getting through now. It’s well-deserved.“I don’t mind who we get in the draw, but whoever it is we know it’s going to be six hard games. It’s the best competition in club football, so you’re never going to get an easy game.
“It’ll sink in when the draw is made and we see who we get. It’s just surreal just now and everyone is buzzing.”The defender, who has made the No.3 slot his own since taking over from Emilio Izaguirre last season, added: “It’s hard for me coming into situations like this as I only have experience of the Europa League.
“But to be in the Champions League at 19 and get the chance to play in all six games is a dream.“The manager, Brendan Rodgers, has been great with everybody, I’m grateful he’s playing me and, hopefully, I can continue to impress him and keep playing well.”
