Celtic have a tough task on their hands if they’re to avoid defeat against Rennes on Thursday evening.
The hosts are one of the better sides in France, and sit second in the current Ligue 1 table as well as being the national cup holders. They are a side who reached the last 16 of last year’s Europa League, knocking out Real Betis before losing to eventual runners-up Arsenal.
They are a good side with a knowledgeable young manager, so defeat is certainly possible for Neil Lennon’s men in Brittany. If that scenario does come about, the Celtic support can’t afford to let talk of crisis enter the discussion again.
Rennes match can’t define Celtic season
The Celtic support have been walking a bit of a tightrope since Lennon was appointed permanent boss in late May. The general apathy around the Northern Irishman’s appointment meant that the first real setback – going out of the Champions League to Cluj – was met with a vitriolic response.
Of course the Hoops support were totally right to criticise the team after Cluj, but the players and management have since shown that they’ve got something good going on.
For the most part they are a newly-formed team who are still bedding together. The recent victory at Ibrox gave everyone a real shot in the arm and showed that this team has potential, but there’s still work to be done.
If the worst comes to the worst and we lose against Rennes then we must not get on the team or manager’s back. We won’t be knocked out of the Europa League should be lose, nor will we qualify for the last 32 if we win. We’ll still have five matches to go and ample opportunity to get things right.
Hopefully the team can produce another good European away performance at Roazhon Park. But if we do open with a defeat it’s hardly the end of the world. Hopefully the majority of fans realise that.
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