All week the Celtic vs Aberdeen fixture was being billed as the game of the season as the two undefeated sides squared up for the first time this season.
Celtic were cruising and in control at half-time and, in truth, the game should have been out of sight in the first 45 minutes as Brendan Rodgers‘ side battered The Dons after going 2-0 up.
However, Aberdeen came out of the Celtic Park tunnel in the second half and looked a completely different side.
Two goals in ten minutes drew the Pittodrie club level and Dons boss, Jimmy Thelin, explains what he said to his players at the break to inspire his side to battle back from 2-0 down to stay level on points at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
Jimmy Thelin’s ‘calm down’ message to Aberdeen at Celtic Park
Aberdeen started the game spritely and Celtic never really got into their groove until Reo Hatate opened the scoring in the 24th minute.
Looking down but not quite out, Thelin shares his rousing half-time message to his Aberdeen players in the Celtic Park dressing room.
Thelin told BBC Sportsound, “It was a really emotional game. We said at half-time, we have to calm down a little and come back to our strategy. We needed to find a way and to do that was to be a little more true to ourselves.
“I think we have an amazing squad and team spirit. We have had some late winners this season, showing our never-give-in mentality. Also, the away support helped us to get this energy.
“These games are important and difficult. They are going to test us in every area of our game. The most important thing is that we stick together inside games and find ways to perform well. I’m happy with that.
“We only focus on the next game. We don’t focus on what happened already or the future. We now re-focus our energy for the game against Dundee United at Pittodrie.
“This support, we need it every game. We may have hard times and also good times. Togetherness is the most important thing.”
Celtic’s next two big Scottish Premiership fixtures
The first game back from the international break saw the Celtic players needing to shake off a bit of rustiness and fans will be hoping that the Aberdeen result has done just that.
Besides Rodgers needing to come up with a gameplan for Atalanta, Celtic next two fixtures in the league are just as important.
A tricky away trip to Motherwell faces the Hoops next Sunday and is then quickly followed up with a home tie against Dundee three days later.
With The Steelmen and the Dens Park club sitting pretty in the tops six, Rodgers will need to be wary of dropping further points and giving Aberdeen and Rangers any kind of encouragement before the next international break.
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