Ahead of Celtic’s match against Sparta Prague in the Europa League, the slant in Scotland was all about the pressure on Bhoys manager Neil Lennon.
With Celtic’s season stuttering from one disappointment to another, the Glasgow club needed a good performance away to Sparta, and there were signs that would be possible.
The pre-match Czech slant had been about recent poor performances from Sparta, and how they were having defensive worries, and not doing as well domestically as they should. That presented the scenario for Celtic to take advantage of someone else’s woes, and get revenge for the 4-1 home defeat earlier in the competition.
Odsonne Edouard, assisted by Mohamed Elyounoussi, started things off well for Lennon’s side, with a goal after 15 minutes, and then it all went wrong with Sparta scoring four without any reply from Celtic.
Such a result has been a surprise for the Czech media, who were nervous about Sparta’s form and assumed Celtic must have learned something from the first leg.
iDNES asked Sparta manager Václav Kotal if he was ‘surprised’ at the lack of a reaction from Lennon and his players, and he answered: “The draw didn’t solve anything for them, they needed to stay in the game for promotion (from the group). They were dangerous, especially in the second half, we got a lot under their pressure, but our defence worked very safely and calmly. We allowed them only a few chances and were effective in counterattacks.”
That’s just wanted Kotal will have wanted, especially regarding his defence, and plunges Celtic further into misery.
