FALL GUY Vasilis Barkas made yet another high-profile costly error to put the Champions League pressure on Celtic.
The £4.5million Greek keeper allowed a free-kick from Brazilian Evander to sweep past him to gift FC Midtjylland an equaliser in the 1-1 stalemate in the qualifying second round encounter at Parkhead last night.
The blundering shotstopper, who endured a torrid debut campaign following his big-money arrival from AEK Athens last summer, was clearly to blame for the goal in the only direct shot he had to deal with all evening.
Former Hoops striker Chris Sutton, analysing the game for Premier Sports, ripped into the netminder who appeared to actually pull his flapping hands away from the free-kick that went over his head, struck the far upright and ricocheted into the net in the 66th minute.
FREEWAY TO HELL…Vasilis Barkas misses Evander’s free-kick as the ball sails in for the leveller.
LOOK BACK IN ANGER…Vasilis Barkas gets that old familiar sinking feeling.
FLAT-FOOTED…blundering Vasilis Barkas can only stand in disappointment after another costly error.
Nir Bitton had already piled the pressure on his team-mates with an idiotic red card in the 44th minute, only five minutes after his fellow-Israeli Liel Abada had fired Ange Postecoglou’s side into the lead in his completive debut following his £3.5million deal a week ago. Unfortunately, the lively 19-year-old winger had to be withdrawn after the inexplicable actions of Bitton as another defender, Dane Murray came on to take his place.
But it was Barkas who was the target for Sutton’s ire as he fumed: “It’s a shocking goal to lose, a real shocker.
“Whichever way you look at it, he has killed the manager and killed the team. It’s not rocket science. Fraser Forster in goal saves that.
“This was going on all last season. Barkas wasn’t good enough, Bain wasn’t good enough. He (Postecoglou) clearly needs a goalkeeper. It’s a big, big issue.
“Fraser Forster, do I need to keep harping on about him? Yes, because it’s the importance of having a good goalkeeper in a big game.
“This was a big game and Celtic didn’t get the second and third their play deserved, but they should be taking a lead over to Denmark and they are not doing that because of the goalkeeper.
“He’s not going to come back. It’s about trust. How many more times? The joke among Celtic supporters is that Barkas never made a save last season and in some ways it’s hard to argue with.
“A couple of saves against Preston and you thought ‘will that give him confidence?’ but that’s a major error.”
The Hoops travel to Herning a week today and have it all to do again.
BLUNDER BHOYS BITTON, BARKAS KEEP PRESSURE ON HOOPS
