Celtic have concluded pre-season by securing a draw against AC Milan at Parkhead.
Martin O’Neill’s side produced an encouraging display against the Italian giants, who have a new coach in town after they appointed former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim as their new boss this summer.
Both of Celtic’s goals – scored by the energetic Camilo Duran and the old-time pro James Forrest – were scored after costly mistakes by the away side.
When the Italian media reacted to Milan’s draw in Glasgow, it’s fair to say they noted those mistakes, and how Amorim’s men produced a ‘two-faced’ display against a Celtic side who ‘dominated’ the opening 45 minutes, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
🔚 And that’s a wrap for Celtic’s pre-season!
What did we make of an entertaining draw with AC Milan?
Celtic praised by Italian media, but AC Milan get mixed reviews
It was an entertaining match, with the opening half belonging to the champions of Scotland, and La Gazzetta dello Sport noted that.
The Italian outlet stated that ‘two misplaced passes’ by AC Milan ‘set the Scots on fire’, explaining that Celtic were ‘more energetic’ in their play because they are further down the line in their pre-season preparations.
It also admitted that the first half was ‘all Celtic’s, dominating’, praising the pace on display, including defending ‘compactly.’
However, given Milan’s comeback in the second half, Gazzetta dello Sport feels that the Serie A giants ‘didn’t deserve defeat’, but they acknowledged that they ‘snatched’ a draw and Amorim will be ‘satisfied’ with his team’s effort on the day.
What’s next for Celtic?
That’s pre-season done and dusted.
Four games. Three draws and one defeat against Sporting in Lisbon. Perhaps many will question why the Hoops didn’t play more pre-season matches, but each manager has their own methods.
Celtic will now prepare for the opening Premiership game of the season against Dundee on Monday evening, August 3.
The Scottish champions will then travel to Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon, August 9, to take on Kilmarnock before the clash away at St Johnstone on August 22 has now been postponed.
That’s because Celtic want to put all their preparations in for the Champions League qualifiers in and around that fixture, with the opponents yet to be confirmed.
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