Ange Postecoglou saw his Celtic side labour to a 1-1 draw in their Champions League Group G opener against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening. Goals from Vinicius Junior and Jota ensured a share of the spoils at Celtic Park, but it could have been different had the Scottish champions been more clinical in front of goal. Postecoglou's side looked one-dimensional going forward, with their attacks often coming down the left-hand side through Jota. The Portuguese winger was Celtic's most dangerous player, but he was often isolated and unable to make a telling impact on the game.
Celtic struggled to create chances
Celtic struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the 90 minutes, with their best opportunities coming from set-pieces. The Scottish champions had plenty of possession, but they lacked the creativity to break down a well-organised Real Madrid defence. Isco was particularly impressive for the visitors, and he marshalled the Celtic midfield with ease. As a result, Celtic were forced to rely on long-range efforts, and they were unable to trouble Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal.
Ange Postecoglou's tactics were questioned
Postecoglou's tactics were questioned by some after the game, with the Celtic manager opting to field a team without a recognised striker. Instead, he played Jota as a false nine, and the Portuguese winger struggled to make an impact in the game. Postecoglou also opted to play with a back three, which left Celtic exposed on the counterattack. Real Madrid had a number of chances to win the game in the second half, and they were only denied by some excellent saves from Joe Hart.
Celtic's European ambitions under the microscope
The draw leaves Celtic with a mountain to climb if they are to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. They now have to travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig, before hosting Shakhtar Donetsk in their final group game. Celtic will need to win both of those games if they are to have any chance of progressing to the next round, and they will need to improve their attacking play if they are to do so.
Celtic's unbeaten run comes to an end
Celtic's unbeaten run came to an end against Real Madrid, but they can take heart from their performance. They played well for large periods of the game, and they created a number of good chances. However, they were unable to take their chances, and they were punished by a clinical Real Madrid side. Celtic will now need to dust themselves down and prepare for their next game against RB Leipzig. They will need to be at their best if they are to get a result in Germany and keep their Champions League hopes alive.
