ANGE POSTECOGLOU revealed his frustration and disappointment that Celtic could not sustain their competitive edge for longer in their Champions League opener against Real Madrid last week.
The Hoops lost 3-0 to the European king pins as they kicked off Group F in front of a packed and rocking Parkhead.
The encounter was scoreless leading up to the 56th minute when Vinicius Junior claimed the breakthrough goal and Luka Modric added a second four minutes later.
KNOCK ON WOOD…Callum McGregor’s thunderous strike leaves Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois standing, but his drive thumps against the inside of the post and ricochets clear.
Before the Brazilian’s breakthrough strike, Callum McGregor had walloped a ferocious 20-yarder off the inside of Thibaut Courtois’ right-hand upright and Liel Abada had passed up an earlier opportunity when he was sent clean through on an exquisite pass from Filipe Jota, but wastefully hammered his shot straight into the keeper’s grateful arms.
A couple of minutes after the turnaround, Daizen Maeda, who had replaced the Israeli winger at the interval, completely fluffed his lines from eight yards and the Spanish cracks breathed a third sigh of relief.
The fine margins of success and failure were highlighted in that game and the Hooops are ready to go again in Europe’s elite competition when they face Shaktar Donetsk in the second outing in their section in Warsaw this evening.
The Ukrainians commenced their campaign with an eyebrow-raising 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in Germany where Celtic flop Marian Shved rattled in a double.
Postecoglou said: “Every game in the Champions League will be tough and every opposition will give us different challenges and whatever is out there on this occasion we need to be ready.
THE MASTER’S TOUCH…Luka Modric clips home Real Madrid’s second goal as Reo Hatate attempts to intervene.
“As I said after the Real Madrid game, I was a bit frustrated and disappointed because it’s not just playing our football for a certain amount of time.
“In the context of who we were playing against – one of, if not the best, in the world – for us to match them by playing our football was encouraging, but I didn’t see any reason why it couldn’t continue beyond the time it did.”
Postecoglou, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “The disappointing thing was we conceded straight after the first goal and we had to stay in the game.
“We should have got back to it and kept playing our football and in the end you lose 3-0.
“We could have been more competitive for longer in that game, but that’s the level we’re at and that’s what you’ve got to do.
“Sixty minutes is never enough. You have to see the game out and be resilient when you need to.”
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Shakhtar Donetsk v Celtic this evening – only in your champion CQN.
