Celtic 0-3 Real Madrid: Three things we learned
The Champions League group stage kicked off this week and fans across the continent were treated to a host of entertaining fixtures on Tuesday night. The 32 clubs remaining in the competition will be hoping to push for knockouts and beyond, with two of those teams coming up against Glasgow.
Celtic returned to the top for the first time in five years to face defending champions Real Madrid. In what turned out to be a very entertaining affair, Real got off to a good start in their defense of the crown
The courage of CelticThe first half saw the Kings of Scotland fire and we don't say that lightly. Celtic were hitting Real with everything they had and to some extent we think that shook up the visitors. Callum McGregor hit inside the post, they were constantly putting Madrid under pressure, and a bit more composure in front of goal could have helped raise the roof for that bustling Celtic Park crowd.
Class shines throughThe quality of a club like Real Madrid simply cannot be overstated and that is evident. In the second half, however, they were operating on a whole new level with Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric and Eden Hazard all managing to find the back of the net. In many ways the scoreline flattered them, but in others it represented how much of a chasm still exists between these two historic clubs.
Wide open group?There's a lot to be said for the spirit of certain clubs and last night Shakhtar Donetsk showed it with an emphatic 4-1 win over RB Leipzig - in Germany, no less. As the first Ukrainian team to compete at this level since the invasion began, they have real extra motivation behind them. So with Leipzig looking questionable, Shakhtar looking good, Madrid being Madrid and the spirit of Celtic, we'd say Group F has the potential to surprise a few people.
The Champions League group stage kicked off this week and fans across the continent were treated to a host of entertaining fixtures on Tuesday night. The 32 clubs remaining in the competition will be hoping to push for knockouts and beyond, with two of those teams coming up against Glasgow.
Celtic returned to the top for the first time in five years to face defending champions Real Madrid. In what turned out to be a very entertaining affair, Real got off to a good start in their defense of the crown
The courage of CelticThe first half saw the Kings of Scotland fire and we don't say that lightly. Celtic were hitting Real with everything they had and to some extent we think that shook up the visitors. Callum McGregor hit inside the post, they were constantly putting Madrid under pressure, and a bit more composure in front of goal could have helped raise the roof for that bustling Celtic Park crowd.
Class shines throughThe quality of a club like Real Madrid simply cannot be overstated and that is evident. In the second half, however, they were operating on a whole new level with Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric and Eden Hazard all managing to find the back of the net. In many ways the scoreline flattered them, but in others it represented how much of a chasm still exists between these two historic clubs.
Wide open group?There's a lot to be said for the spirit of certain clubs and last night Shakhtar Donetsk showed it with an emphatic 4-1 win over RB Leipzig - in Germany, no less. As the first Ukrainian team to compete at this level since the invasion began, they have real extra motivation behind them. So with Leipzig looking questionable, Shakhtar looking good, Madrid being Madrid and the spirit of Celtic, we'd say Group F has the potential to surprise a few people.
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