TalkSPORT host Jeff Stelling, and legendary sports presenter, has leaped to Celtic’s defence ahead of the Hoops’ trip to the Allianz tonight.
With Celtic making it through the new Champions League league format with three wins and three draws from eight games, the Hoops finished 21st in the table, ahead of Man City, Sporting Lisbon, and Club Brugge on 12 points.
However, for one TalkSPORT caller, that wasn’t enough, claiming that Celtic had a ‘really easy’ run of games. Stelling was quick to defend the Hoops, hitting back with, ‘Don’t make me laugh.’
Stelling, who joined TalkSPORT in August 2023 after previously presenting Gillette Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports from 1994 until 2023, and also hosted coverage of the Champions League between 2011 and 2015, knows football better than most.
With the Englishman highlighting his impressive knowledge of Celtic in a debate with a caller.
He said: (talkSPORT), “Oh, that’s right. A really easy group involving Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Leipzig, Atalanta, and even Club Brugge.
“Don’t make me laugh, it wasn’t an easy group and they deserve to be where they are.
“You might be right when he goes on to say that Bayern will dismantle Celtic tonight, but we shall see.”
Spot on from Stelling – Celtic worked as hard as the other 24 teams to qualify for the Champions League knockout playoffs, and with tonight’s game, the Hoops do have a chance to prove wrong such ill-informed football fans.
Although it is unlikely that Celtic will progress tonight, however, given the impressive last 15 minutes six days ago, if the Hoops play like that for 90 minutes, they will have a real chance of a historic upset.
Brendan Rodgers has taken Celtic on an unbelievable journey over the last 12 months, and if Celtic do win tonight in Munich and progress to the last 16, it would be a result remembered for years.
Celtic deserve to be where they are, no doubt about it. It was a favourable draw in the league phase compared to other teams, but given that 4 of the 12 points were against RB Leipzig and Atalanta, those weren’t two results anyone thought Celtic were guaranteed to get. It shows they have stepped up against European opposition this season.
