CELTIC’S £4.5million flop keeper Vasilis Barkas had that old familiar sinking feeling during his debut for FC Utrecht.
The Greek, who has agreed a season-long loan at the Dutch side, saw his new team lose 4-2 to Championship side Queen’s Park at the club’s Sportcomplex Zoudenbalch yesterday.
Barkas, the most expensive netminder in Hoops’ history after arriving from AEK Athens in the summer of 2020, made only two appearances for Ange Postecoglou’s side as the club surged to their tenth title in 11 years and also claimed the Premier Sports League Cup.
Joe Hart joined on a £1million switch from Spurs in August to become the Parkhead No.1 while Scott Bain took over as his back-up.
OOPS…Vasilis Barkas winces as a shot eludes him at Celtic Park.
Benji Siegrist, after quitting Dundee United at the end of his contract, signed a four-year deal 11 days ago to add to Postecoglou’s options.
The only answer for frozen-out Barkas was to leave on a temporary or permanent basis and Utrecht was the destination for the 28-year-old former international shotstopper.
The Hoops dud made his first appearance for the top-flight side in the friendly against the Hampden side and was picking the ball out of his net in the 12th minute when Simon Murray beat him with a low shot to put the visitors ahead in front of 1,200 fans.
The Eredivisie outfit equalised just before the half-hour mark and Barkas was replaced by Thijmen Nijhuis at the start of the second-half.
Owen Coyle’s men went on to win 4-2 with another strike from Murray and additional goals from Grant Savoury and a trialist, according to the club website.
