Celtic boss Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' loss by Bayer Leverkusen
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou blasts ‘unacceptable’ defeat by Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League as pressure mounts ahead of Sunday’s must-win game against Aberdeen
- Celtic are still without a point in Europa League Group G after 4-0 defeat
- Piero Hincapie and Florian Wirtz punished errors in the first-half for visitors
- A Lucas Alario penalty and fine finish from Amine Adli piled on the agony
- Languishing sixth in the Premiership Celtic travel to Aberdeen on Sunday
Ange Postecoglou branded Celtic’s home Europa League thrashing from Bayer Leverkusen ‘unacceptable’.
Bottom of Group G after back-to-back defeats to Real Betis and the classy Germans, the Parkhead side have conceded four goals in both games.
Individual errors contributed to first-half strikes from Piero Hincapie and Florian Wirtz.
Ange Postecoglou branded Celtic’s home thrashing from Bayer Leverkusen ‘unacceptable’
A Lucas Alario penalty and fine finish from Amine Adli piled on the agony for Postecoglou’s beleaguered Bhoys.
Admitting his side repeatedly shot themselves in the foot defensively, Postecoglou said: ‘It is disappointing. In many respects we created some of the issues for ourselves.
‘We had some unbelievable opportunities. They are a good side with some quality players and they took their opportunities but we helped them as well by making some mistakes and giving them the advantage.
‘At this level you are going to get punished for your mistakes and you have to take your opportunities — and we didn’t.
Celtic were trounced 4-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday
‘It shouldn’t have been a 4-0 game. We fell away at the end through lack of discipline and that is unacceptable.
Celtic now face back-to-back games against Ferencvaros. And the former Australia boss admits both are now must-win encounters if they are to preserve hopes of staying in the Europa League.
‘We have to win both these games if we want to stay alive, so it is a good challenge for us.
‘That was the disappointing thing tonight, I thought we fell away at the end and there was no need to.
‘We were still creating chances and if you get a goal you are back in the game, and at least you don’t get the score blowout because you want to give yourself a chance in the competition.
Kyogo Furuhashi was in a despondent mood as Celtic were outclassed on home turf
‘They are a quality team and there is always a possibility that you will get punished.
‘I think we created enough opportunities to cause our own damage tonight and we didn’t.’
Languishing sixth in the Premiership and facing a must-win game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday, Postecoglou has demanded a reaction from his players.
‘If you lose 4-0, the overwhelming feeling is that it has been a disappointing night, disappointing for the fans who I thought created an unbelievable atmosphere.
‘We have to take that disappointment and use it to as motivation to set things right in the next game.
‘We had our own chances and if we go one 1-0 up instead of 1-0 down it becomes a different game.’
Anthony Ralston can barely open his eyes and face the humiliation after Celtic were torn apart
The unexpected return of talisman Kyogo Furuhashi and captain Callum McGregor provided a pre-match boost, with the Japanese denied time and again by a string of superb saves from Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky.
Calling his keeper’s display ‘sensational’, coach Gerardo Seoane said: ‘We did what we intended to do and there were plenty of good things.
‘We also made some mistakes but we had Lukas Hradecky saving us, it was a sensational game from him.
‘We knew we can rely on Hrdecky, he is our captain.
‘The victory was earned. Maybe the scoreline was a little bit too high, but we deserved to win.’
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