Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has voiced his concerns over Celtic’s upcoming Champions League campaign, fearing that the club could end up with zero points in the group stages.
This comes after last season’s disappointing run where the Hoops failed to secure a single win in the competition under then-manager Ange Postecoglou.
Many were sold the dream that Ange Postecoglou was going to have a crack at the competition this season, as he said was his plan on the Open Goal podcast, but instead, he finds himself in the Spurs dugout and Celtic has Brendan Rodgers back, who hasn’t got his team performing yet.
Writing in the Daily Record, Sutton pointed out that the current squad is far from its best form, exacerbated by recent transfers and a spate of injuries. “These new signings are coming into a team that’s not yet performing,” Sutton noted, adding that he fears for both Celtic and rivals, The Rangers, in the Champions League. “Right now I can’t see the pair of them picking up a point. I shudder to think what the likes of Man City would do to them.”
The comments come as a stark warning ahead of Celtic’s Champions League opener in just four weeks. The team could be facing off against some of Europe’s top strikers like Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, or Erling Haaland.
With a make-shift defence that has Liam Scales at centre half, the challenge appears daunting. A top-class winger running at the left side of the defence is a scary thought.
Sutton’s concerns echo the sentiments of many fans who are anxious to see how the team will fare in Europe’s premier club competition. The need for squad reinforcements is evident, and with the transfer window still open, there’s a glimmer of hope that Celtic could yet make some key signings to bolster their chances.
However, as things stand, Sutton’s grim outlook serves as a cautionary tale for the club, highlighting the urgent need for improvement if Celtic are to avoid another disappointing Champions League campaign.
Never have been, never will attain the highs and lows of previous Celtic squads of the past twenty years plus.
It brings me to tears to state so. But any Celtic side completing with any of Europe’s premier teams seems far off. Sevilla do quite well in the Europa leek.
Celtic can’t afford to punch beyond their weight. Be nice if they could, they can’t afford to. Either investment is given or face failure. Nothing is ever guaranteed.