Chris Sutton blasts Celtic's performance in 'gentle' Champions League group and labels Lazio 'bang average'

Incensed former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has taken to social media to vent his anger at his old club's failed Champions League group stage campaign.

A late 2-0 defeat to Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Tuesday night ended the Hoops' prospects of securing European football after Christmas, leaving them sitting bottom of Group E with just one point from five group stage matches.

Their final clash against Feyenoord at Celtic Park in a fortnight's time is now officially a dead rubber for both sides and Sutton was quick to tear into Brendan Rodgers' side shortly after the full-time whistle in Italy. He expressed major disappointment at seeing his former club come up short against the Serie A outfit he considers to be "bang average".

He posted on X (formerly Twitter): "A predictably disappointing night... can't get away from it that as Champions League groups go this was a gentle one and one point from five games in this group is not good enough.

"The team tonight really lacked physicality as well as real belief against a bang average Lazio."

Celtic will feel they merited at least a point from their visit to the Italian capital, despite struggling to carve out many openings. A late Ciro Immobile sucker punch saw the veteran striker net twice in three minutes to seal the hosts' progression.

Ex-Celtic boss Neil Lennon felt the team had taken a step in the wrong direction following the defeat - with the Glasgow giants now going 15 games without a win in the competition (a first for a British team in the Champions League).

Lennon, who was the last manager to lead the Celts to the last-16 phase back in 2013, stated on TNT Sports: "Last season they got two points, so you thought they could've used that experience for this season. If anything it's not going forward, it's stalled if not gone backwards.

"Now the thinking is what can we do in January. The onus is to win the league now and make sure we're back in the Champions League next season. Ultimately, it's difficult to do business in January, but you have to try and bring players in, bed them in between now and the end of the season and then look to improve again.

"They've got Feyenoord at home, it's winnable but they have to try and finish with a win to get a glimpse of progress going forward."