Ring of steel on the outside.. soft under belly on the inside
ORGANISED chaos and Celtic have had an unholy alliance under Ange Postecoglou.
Messy and shambolic, Champions League exit apart, there was just enough up their cuff to wing it.
But it was always a safe bet Real Betis would lay bare the defensive disarray that has been on show all season.
Even allowing for the absence of seven of Postecoglou’s recruits in the defeat in Spain last night, it always had the look of another display littered with mistakes amid the attacking gusto.
Just why the search for a win on Spanish soil continues for Celtic is difficult to fathom.
A two-goal lead before being ripped apart by a Betis side sensing blood and the heart of the Hoops backline was where they found it.
It was billed as a nostalgic return to Seville. Eighteen years have passed since that UEFA Cup Final defeat by Porto and this trip wasn’t one to savour.
There was also an historic theme as Betis faced Scottish opposition for the first time and talk was about an old alliance.
A common bond exists due to the sharing of green and white strips, accompanied by a quaint tale of Betis founding member Manuel Asensio Ramos returning from a spell studying in Scotland and adopting the colours after becoming hooked on Celtic.
Celtic defence far easier to breach than stadium
Those relations may be a bit strained after a temperamental contest that always looked capable of boiling over.
This test was always going to be daunting, however you want to gauge it. Budget, standard of weekly competition or the fact out of Europe’s top five leagues the Andalusians have lost the least amount of games in 2021 – three against Barcelona, Sevilla and Real Madrid. Throw in melting hot temperatures and this Europa League Group G opening tie had the feeling of a clash fraught with trouble and no Hoops fans there to see it.
Always inventive, the Celtic support discovered the strictest security protocols were in place, as a Seville address was required for starters and no briefs were to be found on the black market.
A ring of steel around the Benito Villamarin Stadium came in the shape of baton-armed police who looked ready to do business. Yet some supporters made the journey on a wing and a prayer that they’d be able to get their hands on tickets. Dozens arrived outside the ground a few hours before kick-off before accepting their fate by wandering off to watch the match in a boozer.
An early booking for Ismaila Soro was as much to do with the amateur dramatics of Nabil Fekir as he hit the deck.
Some more theatre saw Celtic take the lead in the 13th minute through Albian Ajeti, cleared to celebrate by VAR after a couple of minutes. Soro was treading a thin line with another foul.
Frantic and chaotic, two teams were going at each other’s throats as Betis hosted one of the biggest crowds of the Covid era at 60 per cent capacity.
They were appalled by what they saw. Celtic were two the good as Ajeti was felled by Betis keeper Claudio Bravo and Josip Juranovic cracked home the penalty.
Too good to be true. Juan Miranda and Juanmi delivered a double whammy in the space of three minutes. The game was up when Borja Iglesias and Juanmi edged the contest out of sight, despite Anthony Ralston’s late header.
A group-stage win on the road remains elusive since Lazio almost two years ago.