JOE HART was beaten for the FIFTEENTH time in six Champions League Group F encounters when Fedrico Valverde took advantage of having acres of space on the edge of the box to whip in Real Madrid’s final goal in their 5-1 win over Celtic in the Bernabeu last night.
The 35-year-old 75 times-capped England international keeper captained the Hoops in place of the crocked pair Callum McGregor and Cameron Carter-Vickers, but it was not a game he will look back with any particular satisfaction.
Hart must have had that sinking feeling inside 20 minutes in the Spanish capital after the hosts had been awarded two dodgy penalty-kicks, both despatched by Luka Modric and then Rodrygo.
PENALTY No.1…Luka Modric sends Joe Hart the wrong way.
PENALTY No.2…Joe Hart guesses left as Rodrygo sticks it to his right.
It’s difficult enough to get something at the home of the reigning European champions, but it becomes close to mission impossible after such as disastrous start.
Hart said: “It is never nice to concede two such soft penalties early on. I thought the first-half was fairly even apart from that.
“We had some good chances. Courtois has had a good game. It is an uphill struggle to compete against the champions of Europe, but we have come to represent and put our best foot forward.
“We have come here to attack, if you leave holes, Madrid are the sort of team that are ruthless. We had some good blocks and I did not have much to do except fish the ball out of the net five times, which is never nice.”
On the spot-kicks, Hart, speaking to BT Sport, observed: “I do not think either of them intentionally used their hands, I think that goes without saying.
OOPS…Joe Hart and Carl Starfelt are caught out as Vinicius Junior slots in the fourth goal.
“It happened so quickly. Matt said his hands were by his side when it hit him. What do they want him to do, chop his hands off?
“Obviously, Moritz slightly misjudged one and it hits his hand. I am not going to moan about penalties after we have been beaten 5-1 by a very good team, but that does set the tone. Although we had a penalty and we missed it.”
The former Manchester City No.1 acknowledged that missed opportunities in all six games – four of them lost and two drawn – have cost Celtic in this ill-fated campaign in Europe’s elite tournament.
Hart added: “We try and put ourselves on the front foot and we do not make any secrets about it. We want to come back here and turn the maybes into going our way.
“There is only one way to find out and that is if we can get back here again. Trust me when I say we are going to spend every single day working hard to try and put ourselves in the position where we can answer that question.”
MOMENT OF MAGIC AMID THE MISERY IN MADRID
