Celtic put another Champions League point on the board with a goalless draw away to Dinamo Zagreb last night on a night where they were frustrated by their hosts.
Despite dominating possession, the Bhoys couldn’t muster a decisive moment in Croatia and had to settle for a draw despite Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah coming closest to breaking the deadlock.
Kasper Schmeichel produced some swift reactions up the other end to deny Marko Pjaca, but it was a night where very little in the way of clearcut chances came to fruition.
Unfortunately, Celtic’s stalemate in Zagreb has prolonged the wait for a first Champions League victory away from home in seven years. However, context is needed, considering matches in times gone by that the Bhoys have let slip away on the continent.
The signs are really positive, and claiming three points against Young Boys on matchday six, or even a draw, could be enough to send the Hoops through to the knockout playoff phase.
Reaction has been varied to Celtic’s latest result on the European scene, and James McFadden has now offered his thoughts.
James McFadden on Zagreb draw being satisfactory for Celtic
Speaking on Sportsound, McFadden believes Celtic will feel satisfied after a ‘positive result’ away in Zagreb amid the danger the Bhoys always run by being sucker-punched on the break.
He explained: “Celtic had good possession, but it was pretty slow. It wasn’t a high-tempo game, so maybe it was just trying to get that change of tempo when you needed it.
“Carter-Vickers steps in and gives it to Hatate, it slows down a little bit, it goes one vs one with Kuhn in the wide area, it slows down, they never had the kind of speed that were used to seeing and the fluidity going forward, maybe that was because they were playing against a team that at times sat back and shut off the spaces.
“Or just because they were that comfortable that on the night, they just didn’t have that little injection of energy that was missing. This is potentially a game where, over the years, Celtic would get caught on the break and end up coming away with a defeat, so I think it’s a positive result, there’s no doubt for me. You’re looking at elements that Celtic could’ve performed a bit better.
“We’re asking them to do the hardest part of the game a little bit better, which is put the ball in the back of the net, but I think there’s lots to like about the performance and how confident and strong Celtic look at this level.
“This is the Champions League; they look strong, and Dinamo gave them all the respect they could. Whether they’re in a good position or not themselves, they showed Celtic a lot of respect and that’s because of the form they’ve shown over the last couple of weeks.”
Celtic take the point and move forward
There isn’t much else to say, really; Celtic will feel they could’ve taken all three points, but one will have to suffice as they look ahead to challenges in the coming weeks.
Hopefully, everyone can recover in time for the Premier Sports Cup final on Sunday, where the Bhoys will hope to put a dent in Rangers to claim the first available silverware of the campaign.
A lot of games in a short space of time may have taken their toll a bit last night. Nevertheless, there are plenty of positives to take as the club strives forward with just one defeat across all competitions this term.
Now, claiming another trophy is the immediate priority before returning to Scottish Premiership action for the duration of the festive period.
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