It’s Groundhog Day as Celtic lose at home in the Champions League once again.
Football can be a cruel game and the home support witnessed first hand against Lazio on Wednesday night how a match can suddenly switch from elation to one of pain and misery.
Brendan Rodgers’ side did not deserve to lose this game.
They should have won it, but fine margins determine the big matches in this tournament and that little bit of quality usually prevails.
You can spin it anyway you want.
Celtic were unlucky, just one lapse of concentration from Cameron Carter Vickers, if they had taken their chances, if the offside had been checked properly on Lazio’s late winner. All excuses.
The truth of the matter is, Brendan Rodgers wanted maybe two or three little bits of quality in the transfer window to supplement what he inherited.
What he got was a team that failed last year in Europe with a sprinkling of mediocrity and ones for the future added to the squad.
If you listen to his pre and post match interviews, he is choosing his words carefully, but he’s back in the same movie as before with a board more intent on banking the cash rather than backing the manager.
Celtic are lacking a strong back up keeper, a left back, a number 10 and a striker.
They are going to the well too often with their midfield trio and Kyogo.
If plan A doesn’t work, then OH is thrown on to try and salvage something.
The only problem with that plan is OH can’t score goals!
That is the best football Celtic have played since Brendan came back and I felt sorry for him and the players for their effort, their composure on the ball and patience in trying to work out a way to defeat Lazio.
It could all have been so different had Palma’s goal stood in the latter stages of the second half, but VAR flattened the euphoria inside the stadium within seconds and continued the nail-biting all the way to the killer goal for the Italians in the 96th minute.
It’s a double header against Atletico Madrid next and I honestly cannot see where Celtic are going to get a point in this group.
Their best bet is a home win over Feyenoord on match day six, but by then it will be too late.
Sadly, for Celtic fans, Groundhog Day will continue at home, in Spain and in Italy over the next two months.
