It’s impressive how quickly things have changed for Celtic in the Champions League.
Many critics have been left eating their words as Brendan Rodgers’ team has stepped up and started to show their value in Europe’s top competition.
After Celtic’s heavy 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund, the backlash was intense, possibly more so than ever before. The team faced harsh criticism, with some even doubting whether they’d make it to the Champions League play-offs under the new format. One vocal critic was Jason Cundy, who didn’t hold back in his criticism after the Dortmund defeat.
But since then, Celtic have earned a 0-0 draw away at Atalanta, managing a clean sheet against Italy’s highest-scoring team. Then, on Tuesday night at Parkhead, they dominated RB Leipzig in a standout performance. So, has Cundy reconsidered his stance?
Jamie O’Hara certainly doesn’t think so. He strongly disagreed with Cundy’s previous remarks about Celtic, calling them “not the truth” and urging him to stop with the negativity, as Celtic are a “huge football club.”
O’Hara pointed out: “Celtic just got a massive win over RB Leipzig. They’re doing better in the Champions League than Real Madrid. Are they still a disgrace to British football, Jason?”
Cundy replied: “No, not against RB Leipzig. But they still got hammered 7-1 by Dortmund.”
Then, a Celtic fan phoned in, demanding an apology from Cundy for his earlier comments. Cundy refused, reiterating that a 7-1 loss in the Champions League deserved criticism. He argued, “You go to a Champions League game and lose 7-1, you deserve to be called an embarrassment.”
O’Hara pushed back: “But that was just one bad night. Since then, they’ve drawn with Atalanta and beat Leipzig, two top teams. You can’t keep calling them an embarrassment now.”
Cundy remained unmoved: “No one should lose 7-1 in the Champions League. It’s unacceptable.”
Cundy’s criticism of Celtic isn’t new. He has a history of negative comments about the club, such as when he said Celtic “shamed Scottish football” after their Europa League exit to Copenhagen in 2020.
Despite the early setback this season, Celtic’s strong performances in the Champions League now see them above several top European clubs in the standings, proving that they are far from the embarrassment Cundy suggested.
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