Celtic broke their lengthy run of away defeats in the Champions League with a commendable draw against Atalanta last week. This result marked their first away points in the competition since 2017, when Brendan Rodgers’ side secured a memorable 3-0 victory over Anderlecht.
The last time Celtic picked up an away point in the Champions League was in October 2022, with a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. So, their resilient performance to secure a draw against Serie A’s top scorers, Atalanta, should have brought nothing but praise for Rodgers and his squad. Yet, surprisingly, not everyone is on board with the positivity.
Criticism of Celtic’s “thoroughly deserved” Champions League draw against Atalanta has been slammed as “irrelevant.” 67 Hail Hail previously reported that James McFadden defended Celtic after a BBC pundit criticized the result by comparing Atalanta to Borussia Dortmund. Now, pundit Ewen Cameron has joined in to back Celtic, voicing frustration over the negativity he’s heard surrounding the Hoops’ impressive performance in Bergamo.
On The Big Scottish Football Podcast (19m, 49s), Ewen Cameron defended Celtic’s performance, saying, “I thought Celtic thoroughly deserved a draw.” He pushed back against critics, adding, “I know there are fans, and those who aren’t Celtic fans, saying, ‘Oh, they were lucky, they got battered, and the possession and the XG wasn’t great.’” Cameron’s comments reflect a growing frustration with the negativity surrounding Celtic’s hard-fought result in Bergamo.
Cameron dismissed the criticism, saying, “That’s irrelevant. They’re playing against a Serie A side who are a better team than Celtic. They’re away from home, playing in Europe, and they get a great draw.” He emphasized the significance of the result, adding, “That point could be the difference between qualifying for the playoffs or not. I thought it was a huge result for them. They battled brilliantly, and there were a couple of moments where, had the final pass been right, they could have actually got more than the point.”
Cameron highlighted a key missed opportunity, saying, “There was one particular chance—Kyogo, the cross that came over, and he takes it first time on the volley. He could have controlled that. He was in the box and could have taken it down with his right foot.” Cameron’s insight underscores his belief that Celtic’s performance in Bergamo had the potential to be even more rewarding.
Celtic have received widespread praise for securing a Champions League draw against Atalanta. Brendan Rodgers, who previously responded to criticism following Celtic’s loss to Borussia Dortmund, can take heart in the positive reactions to his team’s resilient performance at the Gewiss Stadium. Many have lauded Celtic’s efforts, seeing the hard-earned point as a testament to their progress in European competition.
With four points from nine and two of their toughest group opponents behind them, Celtic’s draw in Italy has put Brendan Rodgers in a strong position to advance past the league phase. Chris Sutton hailed Celtic as “brave” for their performance, while John Hartson called the draw “heroic.” Goalkeeper Joe Hart commended the team for deflating Atalanta, and both Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer described the result as a “really good point,” earned despite being under pressure. Although Celtic remain under intense scrutiny from media and rival fans, the praise Rodgers and his team received for their gritty display in Italy has clearly outweighed the few negative voices.