“Guys are angry going into the locker room,” Auston Trusty

Kasper Schmeichel speaks to his teammates during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic will be frustrated with how events unfolded last night at Paradise. A calamitous own-goal from Cameron Carter-Vickers summed up a lacklustre first-half display invariably allowing the Belgian champions to take a one goal lead in the crucial Champions League clash at the interval.

A much-improved, spirited second-half showing means that Celtic are on eight points from five matches in Europe’s elite club competition.

Despite dropping five places from where they started on matchday six, Brendan Rodgers’ side are still within that top 24 threshold with a knockout playoff round tie still well within reach.

Three points is required for the Hoops in their remaining three games in order to smash the glass ceiling and qualify from the league phase with Dinamo Zagreb being the next assignment in a fortnight.

A win in Croatia would seal a significant achievement for the Scottish champions in the 36-team format but it will be a challenging encounter in a hostile environment.

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic appears dejected after scoring Club Brugge KV’s first goal with an own goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

As for last night, Celtic can perform much better. Too many individuals such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Nicolas Kuhn, just to mention a few, had a rare off-night [feel free to add others to that list].

However, in previous seasons it is reasonable to conclude Celtic would have lost that type of game. Therefore, looking at the bigger picture, a point against a tough opponent may prove to be a valuable one.

Celtic v Club Brugge – UEFA Champions League – League Stage – Celtic Park. Ferran Jutgla and Auston Trusty during the UEFA Champions League, match at Celtic Park on Wednesday November 27, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan

Meanwhile, Auston Trusty who was one of Celtic’s star performers last night spoke post-match of how the Celtic players inside the dressing room were disappointed with their collective outing.

“I’ve been in locker rooms when you get away from this kind of game and guys are excited, but you go back in the locker room tonight and see guys p***ed off and really, really upset and that shows a lot of the character that’s in the team,” he said.

“We weren’t happy with how we played in the first half, but we thought that we should have won this game, and it was a real opportunity for us, not just to get one point but to get three points. Obviously, you take the point, but it’s good to see that guys are angry going into the locker room and sitting there just quiet.”

Paulo Bernardo and Cameron Carter-Vickers at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024.(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Rallying around his fellow centre-back partner Cameron Carter-Vickers, Trusty believes that the solid United States defender recovered from his first-half mistake.

“We have his back. I don’t think any defender, any player, wants that to happen to him. But, you know, sometimes it’s part of football. I’ve had own goals as well, so it’s one where you need a teammate to get your back,” Trusty told the press in the mixed zone.

“He showed his character and also the team showed its character. We bounced back and the game went on and we had plenty of life left in it.”

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