Celtic defender Auston Trusty has spoken about the thrill of playing in the Champions League and pinpointed his standout moment in Europe – a rock-solid display in the 0–0 draw away to Atalanta.
The USA international arrived in Glasgow on deadline day last summer in a £6 million switch from Sheffield United and quickly became a key figure in Brendan Rodgers’ backline.
Trusty played in all ten of Celtic’s Champions League matches and was widely praised for his composure and defensive leadership.
There was one night in particular that set the tone of the campaign for Trusty, and that came in Bergamo. Celtic have gone from the highest of the highs, a 5-1 win over Bratislava, to the lowest of the lows, a 7-1 defeat to Dortmund. All eyes were on Italy to see how the Hoops responded.
Trusty’s performance helped Celtic secure a rare clean sheet on the road in Europe, a result built on resilience and discipline. He believes that kind of solidity gives the whole team more freedom to express themselves going forward.
“Every moment you get to play in the Champions League is a dream come true,” he told RecordSport.
“I loved it. You are playing against the best players in the world – that’s where I shine, as well.
“As a player, I think those games should bring the best out of you. You want to be at your best against the best players and teams in the world.
“I think Atalanta really got me off the books, got me off the mark. I just continued from there.
“I think performances like that can give players and the team a lot of confidence. We can be aggressive offensively if the guys know the defence rocks behind them.
“If you don’t have that you tend to end up being a little too careful and slow in attack. We want to allow them to really go for it and have us in behind.”
With his first season in Glasgow under his belt, Trusty will be looking to build and become a regular starter for Celtic. He’s impressed during pre-season, and will look to carry that into the domestic campaign.
