It’s not deflation or disappointment, nor is it optimism or positivity. The emotions on the morning after the European night before are complicated.
Celtic came flying out of the traps at a blistering pace. Not a surprise under Ange Postecoglou, but a surprise on the European stage. It could be debated who was more stunned by this start – Real Betis or the Hoops faithful?
The hosts looked frightened, nervous and rocked. Their confused state matched mine.
An even bigger shock was perhaps that Celtic capitalised on said burst. Jota caused havoc down the right wing and left his man in a spin before delivering a scintillating cross into the midriff of Albian Ajeti. The only pause for breath inside the opening half-hour came here when VAR took a lengthy period of time to confirm the goal.
The dream start to Europa League life for 'Ange-ball' doubled soon after. In a win-win, Josip Juranovic was also uncovered as the side's newest spot-kick taker. But as the old saying goes, a saying so deftly attached to Celtic, it’s the hope that kills you.
What unfolded next is a story told so many times before. A scene we’ve all seen played out more times than we care to admit.
It almost appears ingrained within the club’s workings, no matter who is at the helm, that mental fragilities uproot to the surface at an alarming rate after conceding.
This isn’t a reactionary statement. An ugly pattern of conceding two goals, in a worryingly short period of time, is ever-growing.
Two within three minutes against Real Betis was almost a carbon copy of what unfolded at the San Siro in December. Tom Rogic and Odsonne Edouard fired Celtic into a two-goal lead that night before AC Milan scored two in two minutes in response.
And this wasn’t even the first sighting of such a lack of composure in that group stage. Only weeks prior, Mohamed Elyounoussi’s double was wasted when the Hoops allowed Lille to get back on level terms with two goals in eight minutes.
FC Copenhagen, RB Leipzig, Astana, Paris Saint-Germain... the list truly goes on and on.
The speed of the turnaround, the quickness with which any calmness is lost, has cost Celtic time and time again. Instead of regrouping and slowing things down, they remain glaringly vulnerable immediately after conceding.
And it is from here that the complicating feelings stem from. If you had offered me a 4-3 before kick-off, given the players at Postecoglou’s disposal, I reckon I’d have bitten your hand off for it.
But, again, it’s the manner in which the events unfolded. Celtic simply should not be squandering a two-goal lead, nor should they be conceding four in total.
Is this the flip side of 'Angeball'? Who knows. Time will tell. But whatever this is, like it or lump it, it looks as though it’s here to stay… because it's already been here for a while.
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