Celtic are riding the crest of a wave at the moment and everything feels rosy in the garden after an excellent Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava in midweek.
Sitting second in the league phase table, the Bhoys made the most of their elite billing on Wednesday night and proved why they deserve a chance to compete in Europe’s premier competition.
Spearheading the fight, club captain Callum McGregor was instrumental for Celtic against the Slovak champions, patrolling the engine room alongside Reo Hatate and Arne Engels.
Per Fotmob, the former Scotland international recorded 96% in the pass accuracy department, with nine reaching the final third. He also completed nine defensive actions and came close to extending the Bhoys’ lead with a low drive from range.
With his importance more relevant than ever, McGregor has ranked where the Champions League triumph sits in his lengthy list of career highs at Celtic.
Callum McGregor ranks Celtic’s Champions League triumph
When asked where the win over Slovan Bratislava fits in his achievement haul at Celtic, McGregor admitted it represents a career high after he claimed his third victory in the competition.
He stated [BBC Sport]: “Yeah, I think so (it was a career high). You win 5-1, then it’s obvious. But I just thought the performance level, especially the second half, was outstanding.
“We looked to have a real, real threat and we got five and probably could’ve got more. Expectation was on us to come and deliver and we did that.
“Five goals in a Champions League game, so it shows you the level of attacking play was there. Clinical, ruthless, all the things you need to be on these nights.”
Ruthless is a word that fits the description. Celtic punished Slovan Bratislava for nearly every mistake they made on the night, showing a merciless commitment to capitalise on space in behind.
Celtic will want to claim a scalp or two in Europe
Strictly speaking, Celtic could navigate their way through to the playoff phase without defeating any of heavyweight quartet Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, RB Leipzig or Aston Villa if they take care of their other fixtures, which statistically should be enough to see them finish between ninth and 24th.
However, what is the point of being in the Champions League if you can’t dare to dream? Last year’s finalists are next up in the competition at Signal Iduna Park, representing arguably the most challenging test pencilled into the calendar.
McGregor continued: “There’s no reason why we can’t go and see where our football is at compared to these teams. We want pure positivity. The group are working hard. We’re still a relatively young group and there are some new players in there as well.”
Borussia Dortmund will be favourites, but a green and white army of supporters will head over to Germany with optimism amid an excellent start to the season.
It would take a lot to claim a result from one of football’s most storied venues. Nevertheless, as long as Celtic give it a good go, nobody will be too disappointed.
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