With Aaron Mooy having been selected for Australia’s World Cup squad the Celtic midfielder feels ready for the challenge after going up against Europe’s best in the Champions League.
The former Premier League midfielder has represented his national team over 50 times and will be excited with the challenge ahead but has admitted that the Champions League was even a learning curve for him.
REUTERS/David Gray/File PhotoMooy believes the experience of playing in Europe’s elite club competition will serve him well heading into tournament and feels better set to take on the challenges ahead.
He has slowly built up his game time and although the final outcome for Ange Postecoglou’s side was not what they had hoped for, Mooy believes that coming up against Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk has set him well for taking on some of the best later this month with the Socceroos having been drawn in a group along with France, Denmark and Tunisia.
Amongst those sides he has faced includes the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Aurelien Tchouameni who are expected to be selected by current holders France and may once again come up against Mooy in their first match of the tournament.
“I haven’t played Champions League before,” said Aaron Mooy as quoted by The Herald.
“I have played in the Premier League and I have played against top nations at international level. It is similar.
“But Real Madrid are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It was tough playing against them. It was a learning curve obviously. They are a top team with top players. They were very clinical when they got their chances. They controlled the game so well.
REUTERS/Susana Vera“The Champions League is the best competition in club football so I am sure it will help me when it comes to playing in the World Cup.”
One of the standout stars he came up against during Celtic’s Champions League captain was Real Madrid maestro Luka Modrid who he was full of praise for.
“I had never come against Modric before,” Mooy said.
“He is a fantastic player. I have been watching him for years. He is still doing it now after so many years. He is a unique player. He is so comfortable under pressure, he sees the moment to speed the game up or to penetrate with a pass. It is the level we all aim to be at.”
Ange Postecoglou has also backed the Australian international to peak during the second half of the season with Mooy able to reflect a little on his start to life at Celtic and the Hoops Champions League campaign.
“It is a demanding club.”
“The supporters expect good play and wins in every game . It is a good place to be to improve and to be ready. I am just enjoying the experience, just soaking it all in, trying to play as much as I can.”
“It is obviously a lot better to be creating chances than not,”
“That is what you want to be doing in every game. You look at the Real score and it looks like we got a proper doing. But I still think we have done well by taking the game to them and creating chances.
“That is how the manager thinks we are going to improve the most – by going at teams no matter what. I get the feeling that he wants us to win games at this level. That is what we are all going to strive for in the future.
“Hopefully we are back in the Champions League next season and can do that. That is his target – to be in the competition every year. That means doing well domestically and getting better results in the Champions League.
“Playing Champions League this season has just whetted my appetite for more. There are levels in the game that you can push to reach. There is always time to improve. That is what we can take out of it.”
