Monet men brush Hoops aside with strokes of genius
World’s most expensive strikeforce is a true work of art
CELTIC’S fans got full marks for making an impression but it was PSG who produced the work of art.
The Green Brigade’s banner before kick-off painted a scene of the Celtic Renaissance but masterpieces come at a price as the Hoops found out to their cost.
The Scottish champions were brushed aside by a frontline that cost an eye-watering £424million.
Neymar at £198m, £166m man Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani, the bargain-basement buy at £60m, inflicted Celtic’s biggest Euro bashing at home.
No wonder there were times the Hoops squad must have felt like nicking to the Louvre.
This lot will have half of Europe reaching for the pampers. No one ever said it would be easel.
Paris is home to one of the best art collections in the world and thanks to the Qatar moneymen their team now also features some of the most famous portraits in the football world.
The Mona Lisa priceless but they could snap her up as well if they thought her grinning chops could do a job in the No.10 role.
PSG started with more than £530m of talent – with another £130m on the bench – while Brendan Rodgers was drawing on a squad that cost barely £20m.
It’s a lot of dough in Scottish terms but in relation to the French nouveau riche it’s like comparing a Vincent van Gogh with a colouring book.
Not only is Neymar the most expensive artist on the planet he also seems to have it in for Celts. The former Barcelona star has had a hand in 12 goals against the Hoops – with five goals and seven assists.
Neymar’s a nightmare but wasn’t alone in giving a few men in green and white sleepless nights. Playing on this stage might have been a dream come true for Anthony Ralston but the kid will be looking for Neymar under his bed for weeks to come.
He’ll have plenty of company from across the continent in the monthly meeting of the PSG PTSD support group.
A few of his team-mates will be with him as well.
Not that Ralston will need to look far for support. He faced one of the toughest tasks in world football and refused to take a backward step – making himself a Hoops hero in the process.
He clattered Neymar in the first minute then managed to get the crowd buzzing again after another crunching challenge on Thiago Motta.
By that stage the place needed lifting as the crowd had witnessed a bit of a pasting.
Ralston had to deal with Neymar while Kieran Tierney had Mbappe and Dani Alves to keep at bay on the other flank.
It wasn’t a huddle that Celtic needed – it was a cuddle.
The positive was they hung on though. Especially in the second half when the Hoops had a go against a side with hopes of going all the way in this competition.
Champions League matches at Celtic Park are no secret but they never disappoint. Even the PSG fans tucked in the corner had the camera phones out as You’ll Never Walk Alone bellowed around the ground.
But, as is often the case when the super powers come to town, a period of hush comes over when the realisation kicks in what they are actually up against.
It’s like the sound of nearly 60,000 punters gulping at the same time.
No wonder. PSG are one of the most expensive sides on the planet and at times this group of Galacticos seem out of this world.
They were so cool on the ball it was frightening.
Not just in the final third either. Everyone goes on about their megabucks frontline but even the boys at the back can play.
At one point PSG knocked it around their own goal like they were four goals up at five-a-sides.
Neat and tidy triangles, all in their own danger zone, and all of a sudden they were halfway up the park. Then it’s up to Neymar and Co. It’s nae fair.
PSG don’t need much help to get arty but Celtic did their best to hand them a leg up at times. It’s absolutely vital to keep the ball at this level but the Hoops were giving it away like crayons at a kids’ party.
At times you can only stand back and admire though. At least that’s what normal people do. Unfortunately the sole slackjawed buffoon in the crowd who tried to take more idiotic measures to halt Mbappe will only have succeeded in landing his club in bother with UEFA.
Celtic have had enough trouble with the beaks but the p*** artist who ran on to the pitch to try to kick the French star was another level of stupidity that will cost his side fortunes yet again.
Even the rest of the crowd booed the braindead bampot after his swing and, thankfully, a miss. UEFA won’t miss though.
By that stage the writing was on the wall, never mind the painting. Celts had the odd sniff until the French big guns added the finishing touches at the end.
The Hoops relish being on this stage but when it comes to playing the superstars it can be a pretty painful picture. After all, it’s all about the Monet.