There should be no embarrassment whatsoever attached to the scale of Celtic celebration which greeted confirmation of a draw in northern Italy. That Atalanta had run out of ideas long before the end of this intriguing encounter owed everything to a stirring Celtic response to events in Dortmund at the start of October.
On that chastening night in Germany, Brendan Rodgers watched his players trounced 7-1. The fallout – understandably to everyone apart from the Celtic manager himself – was epic. Rodgers insisted he and his team were “beat over the head with a stick” after last season’s beaten finalists ran riot. There is no requirement for metaphorical weaponry this week. Rodgers has shot back in the best manner possible.
Celtic needed to show defensive organisation, an unwillingness to make soft mistakes under pressure, and composure on the ball against the Europa League champions. Tick, tick, tick. Rodgers was able to tell a story of redemption during post-match media duties. Watching Italians could surely appreciate Celtic’s robustness.
Rodgers said: “The players showed great courage. It is a really, really good point for us. We were defensively brilliant. I have never doubted the players and their mentality. We stood up and were counted. Tonight was a really big confidence boost.”
Four points from three games, given the level faced in two of them, is suddenly a highly decent Celtic return. A Rodgers smile and veiled dig at his detractors was to follow. “I am not sure whether that was pragmatic enough for some people,” the former Liverpool manager said. He had earned this riposte.
The statistics say Atalanta had 25 shots at goal. Expected goals obsessives will cry foul over the outcome here. Yet Gian Piero Gasperini’s team were surprisingly blunt, partly because of Celtic. Cross upon cross flew beyond Atalanta attackers or was met in half-hearted fashion.
Liam Scales and Auston Trusty were outstanding in partnership at the heart of the Celtic back line. There was no rising sense Atalanta would claim a late winner, which seemed curious given the context attached to both teams. Atalanta have 18 goals in eight Serie A games. Their drawing of a blank emphasised the wonderful unpredictability of football.
Atalanta had been inefficient during the opening period. Their early territorial dominance came without reward. Mario Pasalic looked certain to score but blasted his shot straight at the legs of Kasper Schmeichel. Alistair Johnston provided a superb block to deny Ademola Lookman a minute before the break. Those incidents, plus a Mateo Retegui header which Schmeichel dealt with, were the sum of Atalanta’s first‑half chances. Celtic headed to the dressing room after 45 minutes in Dortmund 5-1 down; this constituted a moral victory by comparison. Celtic had been semi-threatening on the counter against a team who are known to give up opportunity.
Alex Valle almost snatched an unlikely opener for Celtic within five minutes of the restart. Instead, the full-back’s deflected shot flew narrowly over with Marco Carnesecchi scrambling. Isak Hien headed wide and Marten de Roon forced Schmeichel into action from long range as Atalanta looked to douse frustration in the stands. It was only to intensify.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s next move raised eyebrows. Retegui, the top scorer in Italy’s top flight, was withdrawn shortly before the hour. Lookman soon exited, too, having failed to properly influence proceedings against a team who tried to sign him in his youth. Rodgers responded by replacing Adam Idah with Kyogo Furuhashi. The Irishman had been a surprise choice to lead the Celtic attack from the outset. Idah spent 68 minutes on the periphery of the game, which he could reasonably argue was hardly his fault. Furuhashi’s movement did visibly concern Atalanta.
Gasperini was increasingly agitated. Davide Zappacosta found Schmeichel’s side net with teammates screaming for a pass. Celtic’s test with 20 minutes to play was one of mental fortitude and physical strength. Valle found Furuhashi with a glorious ball from deep, with the Japanese miscuing his attempted lob of Atalanta’s custodian. Celtic had no further chances, which barely concerned them.
Hien headed over Schmeichel’s bar in stoppage time. Celtic knew they had secured a point. Jubilation despite exhaustion from those in green and white suggested what transpired here meant a great deal more than that. “We took a practical approach,” Schmeichel said.
Whatever the label, it was also a highly effective one. Celtic can shoot for the Champions League stars once again. Maybe Rodgers will enjoy the last laugh by ensuring Dortmund is the outlier of this campaign.
