Celtic news: Scottish pundit ‘shocked’ as Bhoys face ‘shattering blow’
Failing to get past Bodo/Glimt would be a “shattering blow” for the dressing room’s confidence at Celtic, according to Alex McLeish.
The former Scotland manager, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the Bhoys will be “gutted” if they cannot turn their Europa Conference League knockout play-off tie around in Norway on Thursday.
The Hoops were stunned by the Norwegian outfit at Celtic Park as they slumped to a 3-1 first-leg defeat.
McLeish admitted he was “shocked” by the result considering Celtic’s recent form.
He insisted failure to qualify for the last-16 could impact the Hoops’ domestic form.
McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “It was really unexpected. Everybody was shocked. I thought: ‘No way’. With the form Celtic are in, I just couldn’t believe it.
“It’s a shattering blow to your confidence when you have a competition where you’re expected to be going to the further rounds.
“This one would probably be a sore one. It could affect their domestic form as well just with the confidence factor.
“Unless they can disguise it by saying we are saving everything to win the Premiership. But I do not believe any team ever (would do that).
“People sometimes claim: ‘They were not really thinking about it. Their head was not in it.’ I just do not believe that for one moment.
“They will be gutted if they go out of the competition.”
Celtic bounced back from last week’s defeat with a 3-2 win over Dundee, Giorgios Giakoumakis netting a hat-trick.
The Hoops dropped into the Europa Conference League after finishing third in their Europa League group.
In other news, pundit calls for government intervention after twist in Celtic-Rangers row.