DEFIANT Callum McGregor insists Celtic can overcome the obstacles that are threatening to derail the champions in a challenging crusade.
The captain, so often the onfield driving force, suffered along with his team-mates as the Hoops collapsed to a 3-1 Europa League loss to FC Midtjylland in Denmark last night to leave them with only four points from a possible 12.
The distraught Callum Osmand, who replaced the ineffective Johnny Kenny at the interval, was stretchered off with a hamstring injury late in the game and could now face a lengthy spell out just a week after his breakthrough.
Arne Engels also struggled with a problem before coming off in the 74th minute as Paulo Bernardo joined the action. The full extent of the damage to the teenage striker and the £11million Belgian will be known after they have both been fully assessed by the medical team.
PAIN OF DEFEAT…Callum McGregor can’t hide the disappointment.
However, in a season where it appears to be going wrong if it can go wrong, the pair could join Alastair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kelechi Iheanacho and long-term crock Filipe Jota on the sidelines.
Asked if he thought the campaign was cursed, McGregor answered: “I don’t think so.
“It’s been a difficult start and there’s been a lot thrown at us, but we’re still in all the competitions.
“It’s only early November, so the challenge is to keep winning and pick up enough points to be where we want to be.
“I actually see it as a challenge; the more that’s thrown at you, can you still be successful and come out the other end?”
The wobbly defence conceded three goals in a disastrous eight-minute first-half spell before Osmand was floored in the box in the 78th minute for the penalty-kick award that was netted by Reo Hatate who had been introduced to proceedings as a 69th-minute substitute for Benjamin Nygren.
“It makes it really difficult second-half, but I thought the players took to their task okay.
HEY, REF…Callum McGregor has a protest waved away by Serbian official Nenad Minaković.
“We got in at half-time, regrouped, and tried to get the next goal in the game and just see what happened from there.
“But it wasn’t an easy night. We were playing against a really good, strong, physical team who’ve got maximum points in the group. But, yeah, the three goals in a short space of time killed us a bit.
“It was a big exertion at the weekend and then to come here against a really strong, physical team whose game plan is to make it difficult for you, that’s a learning curve for the players.
“I liked how we stayed in the game, too. The players took to their task. It’s not a good result, but the second-half shows there’s fight there and the boys are wanting to work and learn.”
UP IN ARMS…Kasper Schmeichel complains after the third goal.
“That’s football, it happens. Loads of clubs around the world are experiencing it with so much football. “For a long period we actually had all our team fit and healthy — that helps you win trophies and be successful.
“The guys who are injured now, like CCV and Ali, were fit for a long time and played a big part in that success.
“Inevitably, players get injured — it’s how you deal with it. Every club’s the same.”
The champions are trailing Premiership pacesetters Hearts by nine points with a game in hand and they now face Kilmarnock at Parkhead on Sunday with a 4pm kick-off – an hour after the Edinburgh side start against Dundee United at Tynecastle.
A focused McGregor added: “All league games are important now, but maybe this one especially. Can we win it and then everyone goes away for the international break on a high?
“When you come back, you’ve got that feelgood factor to run into what’s a busy schedule. So, it’d be nice to finish with a win.”
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