These Bhoys are on another level
Larsson tips Celtic for Euro progress
AIK captain Sebastian Larsson has backed Celtic to reach the knock-out phase of the Europa League — and hailed Ryan Christie as the jewel in the crown of Neil Lennon’s team. Celtic’s high-tempo attacking play was too much for the Swedish champions to handle over two legs and, eliminated by a thumping aggregate score of 6-1, Larsson admits his team had simply run into superior opponents.
AIK created chances in Thursday’s second leg and levelled on the night through Larsson’s penalty kick, but the 34-year-old insists the question marks that persist over the Celtic defence are offset handsomely by the firepower at the other end.
Making it out of a section including Lazio, Rennes and CFR Cluj will not be easy. Cluj may carry the lowest seeding in Group E but have already proved they know how to take advantage of Celtic’s open playing style by claiming a 5-4 aggregate win to knock them out of the Champions League last month.
Yet, on a good day, Larsson believes Celtic’s forward line has the potential to hurt any defence — and is on a completely different level to anything AIK face on domestic duty.
‘Celtic deserved to go through, there is no doubt about that,’ admitted Larsson. ‘Our major disappointment is the first game over in Glasgow when we didn’t show up.
‘That put us in a tough situation at home. We needed to go forward and we conceded four goals. We had a decent start to the game, put a bit of pressure on and hit the post.
‘We conceded a poor goal, got one back and there was still a long way to go — at that stage it felt like it wasn’t impossible. But then Celtic got to 2-1 so quickly and, in all honesty, that was the tie over.
‘They have a strong attack, quick players who like to take men on and we have to learn from that. We are not used to facing that kind of team in Sweden.
‘I would like to think they can go to the latter stages of the competition — why not? They have a fantastic home support and some young, exciting attacking players.’
Although aided by errors from goalkeeper Oscar Linner in both legs, Celtic carried a constant threat throughout the play-off tie, with Odsonne Edouard the figurehead of a four-pronged attack.
Although James Forrest scored in both stadiums and Mikey Johnston carried a threat off the left, it was a non-scorer who caught the eye of Larsson.
‘For me, the most impressive was Christie,’ continued the 113-times capped Sweden midfielder. ‘I thought he was tricky.
‘He got into some good positions, difficult areas for us in between the midfield and the defenders. He was very eager to turn on the ball which you don’t see too often in players.
‘He was willing to take people on, too, so he has a bright future.’
While Christie has seemingly made the No10 role his own, doubt hangs over the future of goalkeeper Craig Gordon, a former Premier League colleague of Larsson’s at Sunderland.
The pair conferred only briefly over the two ties, but the Swede admits he is aware of the fact Lennon has recruited Fraser Forster on loan from Southampton in reaction to an injury sustained by Scott Bain.
At 31, Forster is five years younger than Gordon and was the club’s preferred keeper in Neil Lennon’s first spell in charge at Parkhead.
Capped by England and eventually sold for £12million, Forster admits he is open to the prospect of making his return move to Glasgow permanent.
He was not signed in time to face AIK but made his second Celtic debut against Hearts last weekend and is expected to play against Rangers at Ibrox today.
Gordon has fought off serious injury to extend his career with the Scottish champions and Larsson reckons it would be wrong to write him off just yet.
‘I spoke to Craig briefly and congratulated him after the game,’ continued Larsson. ‘I see Celtic have signed a new goalkeeper which is good for them I guess.
‘But listen, Craig has qualities. You saw that when he pulled off a great save early in the second half.
‘I’ve wished Craig and the whole Celtic team all the best. We will see how far they go.’