Celtic 0 AC Milan 3: Celtic discovered that the failure to convert opportunities, combined with weak defending, is never a useful football combination. Let alone at the very top level. As Milan cantered to victory, Celtic's players displayed the glaring shortcomings they have shown throughout this European campaign.
Milan’s success in Glasgow, combined with a win for Ajax over Barcelona, means Celtic will have no European football after Christmas. This was hardly in the script for their manager, Neil Lennon, who started the evening with aspirations of the Champions League’s last 16 for the second year in a row. With half an hour to play, Celtic trailed Milan by three goals.
Milan’s first win in eight outings will ease the pressure on Massimilano Allegri. His opposite number, Lennon, will have cause to wonder if his team have gone backwards over the past 12 months. Georgios Samaras, who was anonymous when so badly needed by Celtic, epitomised that much.
The blunt reality from now until May is the monotony of Scottish domestic football and the retaining of a league title with no legitimate challenger. Milan, who were inspired by Kaka , can glance towards loftier targets.
Despite regular flashes of promise, Celtic had won only one game from four and scored twice before Milan’s visit. The clear, extenuating circumstance for that record was the summer sale of key players – namely Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper – without adequate replacement.
Torrid start
Yet in Milan, Celtic faced a team in crisis. The Rossoneri have endured a torrid start to their season. Milan also arrived mindful of a Celtic home record which showed only two defeats – both against Barcelona – in 23 Champions League group games.
The opening to this encounter was brilliantly breathless. Earlier, a contingent of Celtic fans had produced a selection of banners depicting William Wallace and Bobby Sands asking, among other things, about “the terrorist or the dreamer”.
Uefa may well take a dim view of such offerings, if they are deemed political.
Derk Boerrigter, handed his first start for Celtic in a Champions League game, should have sent his team in front inside two minutes. Instead the Dutch winger completely miscued his attempt from a Charlie Mulgrew corner.
More blatant wastefulness was to follow. The isolated Beram Kayal presumably could not believe his luck as a Mulgrew shot fell at his feet. Kayal delayed and eventually shanked his attempt.
That, and generous Celtic marking, was soon costly. Kaka was left completely alone from a deep Valter Birsa corner and the Brazilian nodded past the stranded Fraser Forster.
Shot tamely
Following another spell of Celtic pressure, the visitors could have doubled their lead. Kaka fed Mario Balotelli, who fired narrowly over.
Mulgrew was the next Celtic player to try his luck, nine minutes before the interval, but shot tamely and into the hands of Christian Abbiati.
Just two minutes after the re-start, Celtic’s again spurned an excellent chance. Virgil van Dijk was the culprit this time, failing to beat Abbiati from point-blank range after Mulgrew had supplied him with a clever lofted pass which deceived the Milan back line.
Again, Milan dished out immediate retribution from a set play, Christian Zapata scoring from close range after a corner was played right to his feet, at the back post, by the substitute Antonio Nocerino.
Milan, who were without an away win in any competition all season before arriving in Glasgow, were suddenly within the victory which could kick-start their campaign.
The lively Balotelli added some Milan gloss, and in what had become typically straightforward fashion. The former Manchester City striker ran on to a long ball from Riccardo Montolivo, shrugged off the attentions of Efe Ambrose, and slotted past Forster. Celtic, who are hardly accustomed to such scenarios here, were shaken.
Guardian Service
