Sunday Mail (UK)

Sweden’s all-out-defence that stifled Italy

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about now, it’s about next season and a couple of years down the line.

“It is harder when you are trying always to play good football.”

Lustig was played out of position in the last game against the billionair­e French champs, a 5- 0 rout at Celtic Park in September.

A lack of fit central defenders saw the Swede drafted in to face the most expensive forward line in football history, with Tony Ralston at right-back.

He’s first to acknowledg­e the lack of a stable back four has hindered the Hoops. It’s no coincidenc­e their 3- 0 win over Anderlecht was the only time they’ve had their first picks available.

He said: “Obviously it’s better if you have with the same back four. But if PSG turn up with their A game it’s going to be tough whoever plays. They have worldclass players in every position.

“We want to prove we can do better than we did at home.

“Against them or Bayern, if they get one chance they’ ll score – so you can can’t give them anything. You need to stay focused.”

If the game with Italy was the biggest of Lustig’s career, the match against PSG was the most taxing.

He winced: “Yeah, I think so. After the game we were sitting in the locker room and saying ‘ What was that?’

“I don’t think they had one bad touch all game. We tried to press them but the quality they had was unbelievab­le. “No-one stood out. They all did! If you name one player I am going to say yeah, what a game he had. Dani Alves, Mbappe, Neymar, I mean, come on!” There’s every chance the draw has thrown Celtic in with two teams who could end up contesting the final.

Lustig doesn’t disagree, although he acknowledg­es the competitio­n is fierce at that end of the big boys’ playground.

He said: “It’s hard to say if they can both go all the way. Of course we felt like we had a good game at home against Bayern and that we were a bit unlucky not to get at least one point.

“But there are a lot of big clubs out there. Manchester City look frightenin­g as well. Bayern will get stronger and stronger though, while PSG has everything it takes to win the whole

thing.”

 ??  ?? SWEDE-ST FEELING Lustig shows his emotion at qualifying for World Cup
SWEDE-ST FEELING Lustig shows his emotion at qualifying for World Cup

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