For many footballers, playing in the UEFA Champions League and hearing the iconic anthem is a dream come true, a moment they have envisioned since their childhood. Celtic’s Alistair Johnston is no exception.
He recalls the excitement of his younger days, rushing home from school every Tuesday and Wednesday in the fall, eager to watch the afternoon kickoff in the prestigious tournament.
AJ played his first match in the Champions League when Celtic faced Feyenoord over a week ago. However, the match didn’t unfold as he had hoped. The team faced significant challenges, including receiving double red cards, which forced them into a 4-4-0 formation, a situation Johnston humorously compares to an NFL formation.
Despite the setbacks and the unfavourable outcome, Johnston views the experience positively. He believes that enduring such challenges in a high-pressure environment, in front of a roaring crowd in a magnificent stadium, can be beneficial for the team in the long run.
Appearing on CBS, Alistair Johnston said:
“Hearing the Anthem is something that you dream of as a kid. I can just remember rushing home from school every Tuesday and Wednesday in the fall to get back for that 3:00 kickoff.
“So it’s just crazy now to be out there and then to hear it. I know some guys have cried when they’ve heard it, but for me, it just put a huge smile on my face. Just another one off the bucket list. So it was amazing.
“The match didn’t go exactly as planned—you know, double red card, going into a 4-4-0 formation is never something you want to do.
“After we got the first red, I said, ‘All right, gaffer, what’s the plan at 432?’ And then we got the second one, I had to go back over there. I was like, ‘What’s the formation?’ He said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to go to 4-4-0.’ I said, ‘Oh, that’s something you never want to hear.’ Sounds like an NFL formation! I thought we were playing cover three or something, didn’t know what was going on.
“So, yeah, it was an unbelievable experience. Of course, it didn’t go exactly how we wanted, but I think at the end of the day, to get out of there, only conceding two when you’re down two men, in that unbelievable stadium with great atmosphere, I think that could potentially help us in the long run.
“Again, it was a lot of our players’ first-ever time playing in the Champions League, myself included, so hearing that Anthem, it was a lot to take in.
“But this week we’re lucky; we have Lazio at home, first time playing a home Champions League game at Celtic Park, and all I’ve heard is it’s amazing, awesome, so it’ll be a special experience.”
