Celtic’s hopes of making the Champions League group stage ended last night after a 3-4 home defeat to CFR Cluj in the third qualifying round, the Hoops losing 4-5 on aggregate.
The Hoops are knocked out of the @ChampionsLeague.#CELCLU #UCL pic.twitter.com/DwEM8i3HTv
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 13, 2019
Trailing 0-1 at half-time, Neil Lennon’s side turned the game and the tie around with second half goals from James Forrest and Odsonne Edouard.
Billel Omrani’s penalty levelled the match on the night before Ryan Christie quickly restored Celtic’s supremacy, but Omrani’s second goal again put the Romanian side in control on the away goals rule.
Ultimately, the visitors wouldn’t even need away goals to get them through as, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, George Tucudean sealed Celtic’s fate.
It is the second year in a row that the Hoops have failed to make the Champions League group stage, having been eliminated by AEK Athens at the same stage of the 2018/19 qualifiers, and they must still overcome a play-off round to be certain of Europa League group stage football.
These Celtic fans on Twitter pointed the finger of blame for the latest Champions League disappointment primarily at the club’s board:
Never will we get a easier Run to the Champions League Group stages. SHAME SHAME on the Board
— Buff Egan (@buff_egan) August 13, 2019
Incompetence in the boardroom has turned Celtic FC from what should be a flourishing club into one that is infected with anguish, doubt and negativity.
— Soviet Селтик ☭ (@SovietCeltic) August 13, 2019
Hit if you blame Lawwell pic.twitter.com/2zNCnGwUbT
— Luke Bernard-Haigh (@50shadesofhaigh) August 13, 2019
A disgrace time the board moved on we’ve seen this movie too many times
— CeltiCRa8-IAR (@CeltiCRab19671) August 13, 2019
Whoever is driving the club at this time is making some dreadful decisions and consistently failing to invest in our first team structure . That was an embarrassing European performance ! We can’t defend ! We got exactly what our investment deserved !
— MJ Kay (@beeeley) August 13, 2019
Not good enough, performance was a disgrace. Something stinks at the club from top to bottom.
— AlanMacLaren🏴 (@Divitbhoy) August 13, 2019
