Although it may not feel like it for us fans, the defeat to Rangers at the weekend is now firmly in the past for Celtic.
It’s not something we have the luxury of being able to ruminate on for too long.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and AC Milan visit Celtic Park on Thursday and will be thirsty to stick the knife into a beleaguered Bhoys team.
The current malaise hanging over Neil Lennon’s squad isn’t something that has escaped the Italian media either.
Following the derby defeat, they’ve had a look at what they see in Glasgow, and the verdict isn’t good.
Journalist Stefano Boldrini writes in La Gazzetta dello Sport today (20/10 print edition, page 13) that the club is ‘poisoned by controversy’ right now after the manager blasted a club insider for leaking his teamsheet to face Rangers.
Boldrini goes on to write that Lennon’s 3-5-2 system is ‘under indictment’ with his players ‘struggling to manage’ the current tactics fielded.
Also sensing ‘deep cracks’ within the team challenging for ten-in-a-row, La Gazzetta hasn’t missed with their assessment of the Hoops.
Milan are currently the odds-on bookies’ favourites to turn up in Glasgow and win.
Can Celtic spring a shock? Last season’s wins over Lazio, who finished ahead of Milan in Serie A in 2019/20, would suggest so.
However, Milan are looking confident top of their table, and a certain Mr Ibrahimovic has already banged in five goals in three appearances, including two against Inter at the weekend.
A long night could await us, but all we can do is hope that the manager and his players find a defiant response to the weekend’s brutal display.
In other news, Jackie McNamara has delivered a passionate verdict on the derby defeat.
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