Celtic 'not far away' from European joy: Hart
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart believes his experience with Manchester City is a sign the Scottish champions could yet enjoy some success on the European stage.
The Glasgow giants, the first British team to win the then European Cup back in 1967, have already been eliminated from this season's Champions League ahead of their penultimate match at home to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, but could still qualify for the knockout phase of the second-tier Europa League.
Celtic have recorded just one point from four European games so far this season but had chances to press ahead in all of them and had the better of a 1-1 draw against Ukrainian side Shakhtar in Warsaw.
Former England goalkeeper Hart was Manchester City's regular number one during their early campaigns in the Champions League.
For all their Premier League triumphs, City have found European success much harder to come by, with the club finishing bottom of their Champions League group the season after their dramatic 2012 English title triumph, losing to Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax.
City, with Hart still between the posts, suffered further knockout defeats against Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid in subsequent European campaigns.
"I was at a club that had never been in it and we had a good domestic team but once you start entering this competition, (it's) with squads, not teams," the 35-year-old Hart told a pre-match press conference on Monday.
"Celtic have a great European history. So the club belongs in the Champions League but the squad is coming up against squads of players that have been very used to the competition.
"There is no real secret, it's just fine lines and fine margins and huge moments separate the game.
"I don't think it's been down to inexperience that we haven't necessarily progressed.
"It's just been moments that we haven't seized and our opposition has managed to do that. But we are not far away."
Celtic need to win on Tuesday to have any hope of staying in European competition beyond the World Cup break and they would also need to get something from a match against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu to make the Europa League.
"In the context of us continuing in Europe obviously it's a must-win game," said Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.
"Our ambition is to achieve that and keep us alive."
He added: "It's not just because I think we deserve something that you automatically get it or you feel like you are owed something.
"My thought process around this whole thing is that if you keep putting yourself in a position of playing the kind of football we want and creating chances then eventually you get the rewards."
(责任编辑:关于我们)
- The Wonderful World of Christmas Trees
- 芦山县农产品质量安全监督检验检测站“双认证”通过专家组评审
- 闈掑矝钃濊壊纭呰胺鏍稿績鍖 娴锋磱绉戞妧鏂板煄鐜伴洀褰涓浗灞变笢缃慱闈掑矝
- 粤源一号液相芯片新品发布:引领黄羽肉鸡种质溯源新篇章
- 'Terminator Zero' creators find fresh life in sci
- 闈掑矝棣栦釜娓斿厜涓€浣撳厜浼忓彂鐢甸」鐩紑宸 鎬绘姇璧?浜縚涓浗灞变笢缃慱闈掑矝
- 平安人寿青岛分公司:倾听客户心声 助力服务升级
- 9月份青岛市机电产品出口新兴市场占比51.4%
- 12 Sculptures Made From Recycled Materials
- 海尔冰箱获欧洲ESOMAR颁发行业首个最佳消费口碑奖
- 海尔冰箱打破美俄两国航天技术垄断
- 海尔冰箱获欧洲ESOMAR颁发行业首个最佳消费口碑奖
- Coach jailed for sexual exploitation of underage athlete
- 三星Note7撤柜青岛这些地方能退货 需带好发票