Real Madrid striker Rodrygo celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal (Picture: Reuters)
Champions League Group F
Real Madrid 5-1 Celtic
Celtic missed a penalty and conceded two from the spot as their Champions League campaign ended with a 5-1 thrashing by Real Madrid.
Luka Modric and Rodrygo netted from the spot following two handball decisions before Josip Juranovic saw his effort from 12 yards saved.
Second-half goals from Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde took the game well beyond Celtic but the visitors created a number of chances and sub Jota scored with one of their 14 attempts at goal with a stunning free-kick.
With RB Leipzig beating Shakhtar Donetsk, Real needed a win to clinch top spot in Group F against a Celtic side who had lost any hope of dropping into the Europa League after being held by the Ukrainians last week.
Joe Hart skippered Celtic in the absence of the injured Callum McGregor and vice-captain Cameron Carter-Vickers, whose place was taken by Carl Starfelt in the Swede’s first appearance since damaging his knee against Rangers two months ago.
The first half was a tale of penalty kicks and summed up Celtic’s European campaign. The visitors had made a lively start before a reverse pass opened them up and Asensio’s mis-kicked shot hit the arm of Moritz Jenz.
Set-piece specialist Luka Modric makes it 1-0 to Real (Picture: Reuters)
Hoops sub Jota fires home a stunning free-kick (Picture: Shutterstock)
Jota hails his consolation (Picture: EPA)
Referee Stephanie Frappart immediately pointed to the spot and Modric sent Hart the wrong way after the goalkeeper went to the Real playmaker’s Croatia team-mate Juranovic for advice.
The holders doubled their lead in the 21st minute after a VAR-assisted award. Hart had saved well from Vinicius Junior before Rodrygo’s shot struck the arm of Matt O’Riley. The shot was two yards away from the midfielder but Frappart gave a penalty and booked O’Riley after watching a replay.
The Hoops’ 35th-minute penalty came after Liel Abada skinned Ferland Mendy before being fouled. Juranovic had scored all five of his previous penalties for the champions but Thibaut Courtois parried his strike.
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The visitors had earlier squandered a lot of chances. Kyogo Furuhashi hit Daizen Maeda’s low cross wide when Abada was well-placed and unmarked behind him.
Reo Hatate shot over and Furuhashi hit an effort straight at Courtois.
Asensio netted in 51 minutes from Dani Carjaval’s cutback and the hosts went four up ten minutes later as Vinicius Junior flicked home Valverde’s cross before Valverde made it 5-0 in the 71st minute.
Courtois denied Jota twice before the Real keeper was finally beaten when the Portuguese winger brilliantly executed a free-kick that he had done well to win himself.
The strike gave the 1,800 Celtic fans in the Bernabeu something to cheer.
Postecoglou: We paid the price yet again for missed chances
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou looks on as his side are beaten (Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS Group)
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou insists his side’s missed penalty cost them the chance of laying a glove on Real Madrid.
However, the Australian was the first to admit the Spanish giants were far too strong for the Scottish champions.
‘Firstly, they are a fantastic football team,’ Postecoglou said.
‘We didn’t start too badly but they got two penalties. At 2-0 we get a penalty, and 2-1 maybe doesn’t change the outcome but it maybe puts them under a bit of pressure.
‘It’s been the story of or campaign but they were too good for us.’
Postecoglou praised his players for maintaining their attacking ambition despite going five goals down with 20 minutes left.
‘I never fear the worst because we are still trying to play,’ he said. ‘I’m really proud of our players. We have lost 5-1 and we understand that, against a fantastic team. We created I don’t know how many chances, their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was outstanding.’
Celtic keeper Joe Hart felt Moritz Jenz and Matt O’Riley were harshly penalised for handballs at each Real penalty award.
The stand-in captain said: ‘It’s never nice to concede two soft penalties early on. Matt said his hands were inside his body and it hit him. What do you want him to do? Chop his hands off?’
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At least there was a decent consolation for the travelling fans to cheer.
