RB Leipzig may have come away with all three points, but it was a hard-fought 90 minutes of football between the two sides at Celtic Park.
Going into the game, Ange Postecoglou’s side arguably needed to pick up all three points to keep their UEFA Champions League hopes alive.
Whilst the German Bundesliga side were looking to win their second consecutive game against the Hoops following a stuttering start to the group.
Ultimately it wasn’t to be for the Bhoys, who are still looking to get off the mark with a victory in Group F following the conclusion of the first four matches.
Despite only having one point, it doesn’t paint the whole picture for Celtic in the group. Postecoglou’s side has enjoyed large spells of positive play in each game, but the final touch in front of goal has been lacking.
And it was the same story at Celtic Park on Tuesday evening, with late goals from Timo Werner and Emil Forsberg providing the sucker punch on the night.
Reacting to the result and the performance, both of Leipzig’s goalscorers praised Ange Postecoglou and his players for their display, as they expressed their delight at coming away with all three points.
Forsberg said [Leipzger Volkszeitung]: “The coach (Marco Rose) said before the game that we should be consistent in the box. That’s what I took with me – it’s a nice goal.
“We did well for long stretches, but it wasn’t easy to hold against it in this stadium. They play great football, you just have to say that. They press well and have this mood behind them. But we won 2-0, away win, I would say we’re in a pretty good flow now.
“It’s a good atmosphere in the team, we have to keep it now. It doesn’t get any easier: we have to continue to call on this every day.”
Former Chelsea frontman Timo Werner added: “This was a game with several phases in which Celtic were good and in which we were good. We got away with a black eye again at the stage when Celtic were good. In the end, we put the pinpricks at the front that we needed.
“We held our own against this backdrop and deserved to win in the end. The biggest part of my goal belongs to André (Silva), which was a great flank right on my head. Then it was no longer difficult to hold my skull down. I’m happy about the goal and that we were able to win again today.
“We’ve struggled both at home and away this season, so every win is good. With these two games against Celtic, we have made up a lot. In Warsaw against Donetsk, it’s about second place; if we don’t lose that, we have a very good chance.”
RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose also shared his thoughts on the game, stating that Tuesday’s win was an ‘important victory’, particularly after the pressure his side faced in the first half.
“That was an important victory and a well-deserved victory in a great stadium. We came into the game well, but we didn’t develop enough scoring danger. From the 20th minute, we invited Celtic a bit, and the stadium got louder.
“In the second half, we did it dominantly as in the first leg. We have to fulfil our tasks, as we have done today. In the stadium, it is incredibly important that you take the energy for yourself.
“Otherwise, it can be very quickly that the energy eats you up here. It was important that we always stayed online. It has become the game that many expected, with many great chances on both sides.”
Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side once again showcased their ability to compete; it is now about turning that into results
Whilst it is flattering to hear praise from some top talents in Europe, as Celtic fans, one of the most important things is getting points on the board.
Reflecting on the Hoops’ performances across the four games, it is fair to say we have been unfortunate not to come away with at least one win due to the sheer amount of chances created.
Sometimes it is easy to forget for the majority of this squad this season’s Champions League campaign has been their first.
So, it is positive to see that they have been capable of producing performances. Now, it is about taking that to the next level and producing in front of goal too.
This UEFA Champions League group has been a huge learning curve in several ways, which has been showcased by the praise coming our way.
But, it is now time to use what we have learned going forward and turn that into points on the board in European competition in the future.
In other news, UEFA Youth League disappointment for Celtic.
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