Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has offered a positive look on tonight’s defeat to Real Betis, which included praise for striker Albian Ajeti.
Ajeti was influential, particularly in the first half, as Celtic built a 2-0 lead. However, as has been the case in recent years, that lead didn’t stay. The Andalusian outfit won 4-3 on the night, counter-attacking with devastating efficiency.
Postecoglou, though, isn’t too disheartened, and saw crumbs of comfort from a game that excited, frustrated and offered some signs of hope.
Postecoglou said [Celtic FC]:
“[Ajeti is] doing well. He worked awfully hard tonight, he won the penalty for us as well, and had a couple of other chances.
“But you know, to be fair, the whole group I thought stepped up tonight.
“I don’t think there was much between the teams. If people think there was a massive difference, I’d hate to think that I was watching a different game.
“I think we took it to them. We probably had an equal amount of chances, they probably took more of theirs than we did.
“As I said before the game, we’re trying to build resilience with this group. We don’t want to make excuses, we want to be a certain kind of football of team, irrespective of the circumstances. That’s what the players showed today.”
Praise for Ajeti and signs of progress for Celtic and Postecoglou despite losing out in Seville
On a sweltering night in Seville, it was Celtic that began the game with confidence. Two goals could even have been three, and there were no desperately poor individual displays.
Instead, it’s clear that as a group, there’s work to be doing. Especially where it relates to confidence. As soon as Celtic went 2-0 up, the mental frailty and the scars of previous defeats began to show.
But in what he says, Postecoglou radiates calm and perspective. This was a bereft Celtic team, missing key players across the park. Yet, had they defended even marginally better, a famous result was within grasp.
Ajeti, though, is something of a symbol for the progress being made under the new boss. The Swiss striker endured a torrid first season, having started well. He was dropped, suffered with fitness issues, and lost the wafer-thin faith of the previous manager.
For all intents and purposes, he was something of a forgotten man. Now, it would be hard to argue he hasn’t been our best player over the last week, with 3 goals in 2 games.
If he typifies the progress being made under a manager who oozes ambition and enthusiasm, then tonight wasn’t for nothing.
In other news: Missing McGregor, what Ange needs; 3 things we learned as Betis beat Celtic
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