Tonight’s game is something we’ve all been waiting for since the final whistle blew on the day that we were confirmed as champions last season. Real Madrid. At home in the Champions League.
These are the nights that Celtic Park was built for.
There are hacks who will be sitting at this game tonight looking around them in disbelief. Not at the noise and the energy levels of the stadium, or even at the team on the park, but about the scenario they find themselves having to confront.
Celtic, the biggest club in Scotland, defending champions and five points and seventeen goals better off at the top of the SPFL. This time last year such a scenario would have seemed like the mad fantasy of a Celtic fanatic.
Now it’s the reality they have to deal with.
Twelve months ago, we had not long before lost at Ibrox and Kris Boyd and others were telling us that our season was in crisis. At the six game stage – where we are right now – we were sixth, on nine points, and four points behind the Ibrox team.
There was, however, one weird suggestive indicator as to where we might be headed; the goal difference column was plus 12. That was the first sign that something was starting to click. We had the Dundee Utd draw to come the following week – which put us six points behind the Ibrox club – but we were, in many ways, already out of the darkness.
But think on that for a minute; six points behind after seven games. Now, on the flip-side of that, we’ve got a five point lead and a goal difference that’s equal to a point. We overturned our deficit, which is why nobody should be getting ahead of themselves … but this time last year not a single one of the hacks would have given us a hope in Hell.
Indeed, it was after that match against United, that Ange had to answer daft questions about whether or not the league race was already over. Despite his answer, within the ranks of the press corps there was a nearly universal assumption about that.
None of them expected to be sitting at Celtic Park tonight hearing the Champions League anthem boom out, far less that it would be accompanied by an announcer welcoming them to the “home of the Champions.”
That must really stick in their craws.
Every second of this should be savoured.
This is our reward for sticking by this team, for daring to believe, for dreaming the impossible dream. The result on Saturday affirmed us as the biggest and best team in Scotland. Tonight, we tackle Europe.
If the media hacks are in disbelief now, the next 8 days could be brutal. Celtic will almost certainly win next week against Shakhtar giving them at least 3 points in the group and setting themselves up to finish no lower than 3rd in the group. And the mob across town could be in crisis mode after consecutive losses to us, Ajax, Aberdeen, and Napoli with a double header against Liverpool on the horizon. The prospect of being 8+ points behind us and crashing out of the Champions League without a single point before the World Cup break has got to be a nightmare scenario for them. Unless they turn things around very quickly it could come to fruition.
Your wrong Johnny ,I thought Greg Taylor did very well against WORLD class players.
We are back where we belong. Now it’s time to enjoy the big time again, to enjoy the ride and to make sure we acquit ourselves well enough to go further. We also should be repeating the same process every year and getting progressively better doing it.
COYBIG!
Exactly that Johnny Green, enjoy the ride for sure and hopefully get a result-I’d settle for a draw but who knows, us Celtic fans are magic and we can most certainly dream of greatness the way this team has played so far…too exciting for words!!!
What a game here James, Hatate is awesome tonight. Why we’re not 2 up is down to the young lads being over excited for me. Ange needs to let them know to take the touch and settle for the shot or pass. So far great game.
Forgot about CalMac’s off the post in my excitement. It’s on the game is on.
A bridge too far, the best team in Europe showed us why they are the best. Out team did reasonably well and should be proud of themselves, one or two defensive frailties might need to be addressed. Our supporters are the World’s best.
Oh, one more comment, if Greg Taylor made a successful tackle during the 90 minutes I must have missed it?
He did and you did. Bet if his name was Gregorius Taylorius (or something similar sounding) you wouldn’t pick on him. Shame on you!
What has his name got to do with anything? He just isn’t good enough, my opinion and I am sticking to it.
HAIL HAIL,The Celts are here, even after tonight’s game we done ourselves proud ,no sitting back defending and getting beat 3 or 5 or 6 ,at least we went for it and a wee bit of luck ,calmacs post hit ,we accredited it ourselves not too bad at all against the best league team in the world,I’m so proud of Celtic and our brotherhood of worldwide fans ,btw we will take points of the lesser teams in our group.i noticed Mr shved,scored for shaktar tonight.
Well said Jim.
Celtic more than matched the Champions of Europe for the first half of the game last night. That shows we are a very much improved side under big Ange Unfortunately they got the better of us after that. No shame in last nights outcome. Remember severe doings against PSG and Barcelona plus loads of defeats to teams we should have been beating. Those days are over. Celtic are much improved and looks like we could get better still. looking forward to a brighter future in Europe.
Really. I thought Taylor, like all our players, done well against the best team in Europe with the best players
Maybe I had the blinkers on, as I just don’t rate him as a defender. I am of the same opinion with Starfelt and I’m quite glad he wasn’t playing.