Haka: McGregor is a loss, but we can win without him
Sead Haksabanovic reckoned Celtic’s late, late show in Perth proved they can come out on top without Callum McGregor – but also that they need shooting practice.
It emerged yesterday the Hoops captain will be out of action until after the Qatar World Cup due to the knee injury he suffered playing against RB Leipzig last week.
While that effectively comes down to a fourweek absence, the flurry of fixtures Celtic face at home and abroad means he will miss 10 matches.
“Callum is a big piece of the team, outside and inside the pitch, but I know he is going to be there for us,” said the forward, who impressed in Celtic’s 2-1 victory at McDiarmid Park yesterday.
“He will be there to cheer us, but we have to show we can play without him as well.”
“It would have been extremely frustrating if we hadn’t won because we had a lot of chances that we didn’t score from.
“That last goal made us feel joy and relief. We always go out there to play and take three points and the main thing is that we did that today.
“After training, though, we need to stay and do extra on shooting and finishing.
“No matter who we play, we feel we are going to make chances, but I think we should have made this game 3-0 earlier and then just play it out.
As he said, the visitors were not at their sharpest, but that did not stop Haksabanovic being bullish about Celtic’s chances against Leipzig when they visit Celtic Park on Tuesday night.
“I’d say we can win. 100%,” he insisted.
“We are playing at home, the fans are going to give us that amazing atmosphere and it is going to feel so good.
“If we go out and give 100% and believe in ourselves, we have a chance.
“We made chances in Germany, so we are capable.
“You do have to be really clinical at Champions League level. That is why I am saying we maybe have to stay behind in training. All of us.
“We need to focus on finishing and everything like that, so that when we do get chances, we are 100% that we are going to score.”
He meanwhile promises there is more to come from him in terms of his personal contribution.
“I am first thinking about getting to my top fitness level and then I can start thinking about being in my best form, but I am feeling good,” he said.
“I am staying patient. I am not forcing anything. It is a new team for me, everything is new, so it is going to take time.”