Former Celtic boss identifies what Hoops are ‘missing’ against ‘top class’ Champions League opposition

Celtic are still looking for their first win of this season’s UEFA Champions League group stages and face arguably their toughest test of the campaign tonight.

Brendan Rodgers’ side travel to face Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium having held the La Liga giants to a 2-2 draw in Glasgow last month. That point is the only one that the Hoops have picked up so far and are facing an early confirmed exit from the competition tonight if they do not come away with a positive result.

Former Celtic gaffer Gordon Strachan believes two key factors are working against his old club, there first being a lack of ‘top class’ players capable of changing a game. The 66-year old was speaking to ICE36.

He said: “I thought Lazio looked like a really ordinary side. I thought they were OK in the midfield, but the front three were poor. Immobile, I know he’s done well over the last few years and scored a lot of goals, but he didn’t impress me. I wasn’t worried about Lazio’s attacking threat.

“Celtic’s performances have been decent. If you look back at Celtic in the competition last season, they were also some good performances under Ange. They had spells of forty-five minutes to an hour where they were playing some terrific stuff – they just couldn’t manage to see out a game over ninety minutes. It’s been a similar story this season.

“Some of the opponents you face in the Champions League have got brilliant players. Top class players who can see a game out, the experience of how to get you over the line at the highest level in the game. I think Celtic have been missing a little bit of that in places and I also think that they missed Cameron Carter-Vickers.”

The second thing he feels has cost Celtic in the Champions League this season is that they simply have not had the rub of the green at times. There have been key decisions that have gone against the Hoops so far.

Strachan said: “Celtic have been on the end of some poor decisions. I think they’ve been a bit unlucky, particularly in the game against Feyenoord where they had two players sent off. I also think with better decision-making from the players, they would probably have another two points at least.”