Hard luck in the Champions League is something that has always followed Celtic ever since the competition ever began.
And I mean when it was reformatted into the leagues to help make clubs in the top five leagues richer, not the European Cup format.
That’s an argument for another day that one! However, they have had loads of bad luck. Just this season they fell to a sucker-punch goal against Lazio in the 2-1 loss two weeks ago.
Funnily enough, they had a goal chopped off for offside in that same game where, had it stood, Celtic would have went on to win that match.
And last night, it seems that Celtic fell victim to some more ‘unfortunate’ refereeing when Atletico Madrid were awarded a first-half penalty.
Debates will rage whether or not it was a fair award and former Celtic boss, Martin O’Neill seems to think it wasn’t.
O’Neill said [TNT Sports], “You know that Athletico Madrid are going to come into the game albeit through a penalty kick, which is I thought was very, very harsh. I must admit.
“I have to say that Taylor’s just been caught wrong side but it’s difficult. Yes, the fella’s just got in, Molina’s just got in, I still think it’s very, very harsh.
“I have to go back, we watch the 1974 debacle here and had that been 1974 that would never have been a penalty kick.”
Celtic faced an uphill battle anyway in trying to overcome the multi-million pound Atletico squad. Having the referee give them a boost with such a soft award made it all that bit more difficult.
However, to be fair to Brendan Rodgers’ side, they didn’t let it dishearten them and they pushed forward and got their noses in front again.
But in the end, the La Liga side’s quality shined through as they earned a 2-2 draw after Alvaro Morata nodded home a second-half equaliser.
So as it stands, Celtic’s European dreams hang by a thread. Let’s hope their luck turns and they manage to pick up some good results in the final three fixtures.
In other news, Faster than Kylian Mbappe, £1.3m ‘electric’ Celtic player is one of the quickest in Europe