I genuinely don't know what game some people were watching.
We play in a league that holds us back against the big league teams.
We have a young team.
This is their 1st game together in the champions league.
We took on and stood our ground against the best team europe, who I have seen completely dismantle "better" teams than us.
And there's people saying words like "pumped" and moaning about the performance.
We did not go out and stick 11 men behind the ball and get battered from pillar to post like we usually do. We went out to try and win playing our style of football. Ange and the players will learn and get better like they have since the day the boss walked in the door.
Hunner percent mate.
This wasnt a backs to the wall performance and on another day we couldve been 2 up at one point.
Nothing for couldve , obviously, but I'm proud at how we went about our business tonight.
I know that JJ is taking stick from some quarters but tbh Vinicious jnr had the ball on a string at times and that was a thankless task for any defender.
I'd much prefer we gave it a go as we did than be a version of Ross County v ourselves.
We're the Scottish champions at home and played as such.
They're 4 times champions league winners in the last 7 seasons , a little bit of realism with our pint is no bad thing.
They were rattled in the 1st half, and we were unfortunate not to go in front.
The game couldve been different, but we didn't get the luck/rub of the green our play deserved I thought.
The very fact that we were optimistic before this game speaks encylopaedias given our position just over 12 months ago.
Back then any one of us would have been laughed out the building for even contemplating it.
Let's not forget that we are ahead of schedule, well ahead.
Near 20 players in the door in 3 windows and we feel prepared to go toe to toe with that side.
Says it all.
I still maintain that should we finish above 4th from 4 , then that's an enormous achievement.
Tonight we played the best side Europe has to offer and whilst the scoreline might suggest we were handed one , we certainly were not.
Alright Bhoys and Ghirls. Now it's because I've been spoiled under the old floodlights of Celtic park on these European nights I can carried away with our performances nowadays.If I have been too harsh my apologies just that I was spoiled, and believed that Celtic could win any game.
Chances taken tonight Allybhoy and we might've seen a different result.
Sure , might've, could've etc wins you nothing but plaudits
This is the reason why we're here though, to be tested .
Against the best.
They dont come better than that side tonight.
We were tested but showed really well I believe.
We aren't tested in Scotland, not enough and often its usually been down to our own mistakes or mibbery that we're even tested at all domestically.
I'm positive that like the rest of us , even Ange was hopeful that we could do something tonight.
Im also positive that he won't be overly disappointed because hes all about the performance and I saw a top drawer performance from Celtic.
At 3-0 down we were still trying to take the game to Madrid,
how many sides will they face like that I wonder.
Our first half display , 1st 55 mins or so,
I was really impressed with the performance against the best side Ancelotti has brought to CP, certainly the most successful one.
Probably the reason it's the first time hes ever left CP victorious.
Calmac was so unlucky, Courtois was well beaten , had no idea where the ball was ,like us he thought it was in.
Some of our passing under pressure and opening up Madrid at times was genuinely really great play, the Abada opportunity etc.
We were doing it against the best and even in the second half Maeda had the opportunity to put us in front.
I wont criticise maeda , he was just on and I think mightve started that move off?
I look back 12 months , see a Celtic side under a new unknown manager , snubbed by a high profile English manager, losing our first 3 away games etc and now?
Now we have expectations ( optimistic ones granted) that we can challenge the very best.
We bested the very best that first half , when it comes to clear cut chances despite their possession, which was far closer by the end 40/60 or so.
We have every chance of progressing despite this result in one tournament or another, perhaps 3rd ahead of leipzig is a realistic goal but we dream bigger.
Celtic lost 3-0 at home to European champions Real Madrid ( shockaroonie- not) .
Chelsea lost away to Dinamo Zagreb 1-0
Leipzig lost 4-1 at home to Shakhtar ( manys favourites for 4th place).
Those are shock results.
I'm disappointed that the result shows 3-0 defeat but I'm encouraged by the performance and that we didnt lose our way in how Ange wants us to play tactically for the entirity.
First half.
I'm proud of how we took them on to the brink.
How calmac rendered modric anonymous.
Jota was beating his man.
Abada was getting on the end of things and in the right positions.
Hart did what's expected.
Defence held strong.
We didnt convert this time unfortunately but I saw enough of that to take great heart from .
We are ahead of schedule too, it's near ridiculous how 20 players have bedded in so seamlessly and quickly.
Disappointed leaving the pub , but honestly, beer wearing off, I'm possibly more optimistic than before.
Hoping to catch them off their game but enforced ours and then champions enforced theirs and made it count.
That was the difference HH