CALLUM McGREGOR admitted it was “a real sore one” to tumble out of the Champions League with practically the last kick of the ball in stoppage-time at the Allianz Arena last night.
A scrambled effort from Alphonso Davies denied Celtic the opportunity to take the play-off tie to extra-time and sent Bayern Munich through to Friday’s draw.
It was a cruel finale to a fine display from Brendan Rodgers’ men who went into the encounter in Bavaria trailing 2-1 from the first leg at Parkhead last week, but a 63rd-minute strike from Nicolas Kuhn levelled the tie on aggregate.
The tense confrontation was heading for another half-hour until a clearance from Cameron Carter-Vickers following a fine stop from Kasper Schmeichel ricocheted off Davies at the back post and bounced agonisingly into the net.
HAIL, HAIL…Nicolas Kuhn celebrates Celtic’s breakthrough goal in Bavaria.
In a team of heroes, McGregor played his part and afterwards said: “We performed really well on the night, but we didn’t get what we deserved in the game.
“The players were outstanding, the game-plan was perfect and the template was perfect for us, but sometimes football is cruel and you don’t get what you deserve.
“However, the players should feel pride based on that type of performance, which was outstanding.
“We want to take the positives from that, bank this whole experience of the Champions League and be better for it again next season.”
McGregor, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “It is a real sore one and the boys will be down for a couple of days, but it’s important that we don’t dwell on it for too long.
“We have a big game at the weekend and now we’re chasing down the league and there’s still a Cup to play for, so we have to get this out the system as quickly as we possibly can, take the positives form it and also remember that feeling.
A BIG HAND…Alistair Johnston leads his Celtic team-mates Cameron Carter-Vickers and Yang Hyun-jun as they acknowledge the Hoops support in the Allianz Arena.
“It’s never nice to lose a game, especially when you do a lot right and you don’t get what you deserve, then you try and harness that feeling and turn it into a positive.
“And now we just attack the rest of the season with the league and the Cup.”
The Hoops’ influential 31-year-old onfield leader added: “The growth in the players and the team, even from game one right through to game 10, has been outstanding and there’s a real maturity about the way we’re playing the game now at this level.
“You have to understand that you have to suffer without the ball sometimes, but it’s never for too long.
“We’re always trying to nudge ourselves up the pitch, be compact and press at the right times.
“We’ve got some experienced players, but there are also some young ones in there and they’re learning all the time.
“The team is growing at this level and when you come and give a performance like that against a top club, then it should give everyone a big shot in the arm for next season.”
Celtic, 13 points ahead as they chase their fourth successive title, travel to the capital on Saturday where they will take on Hibs at Easter Road in the 12.30pm kick-off.
