This week, there is no need for the metaphorical 'big stick' that Brendan Rodgers often refers to. During his pre-match media duties in northern Italy, Rodgers emphasized that this object is used metaphorically to crack him and Celtic over the head during routine struggles in European competition. The 7-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund earlier this month was particularly chastening for Rodgers. However, this marked a more than adequate response. Celtic defended exceptionally well in defying Atalanta, achieving a scoreless draw that was just reward for the efforts of the Scottish champions. Celtic were organized and physically robust for all 94 minutes, while Atalanta, as expected, dominated the ball but did not lay siege to the Celtic goal in the manner one would anticipate. This performance showed that the Dortmund debacle may not define their Champions League campaign after all. Atalanta had run out of ideas long before full-time.
Lost in the melee of the post-Dortmund debate was that Celtic had opened their Champions League campaign with a resounding win of their own. That result over Slovan Bratislava, plus the upcoming visits of Club Brugge and Young Boys to Glasgow, mean Rodgers’ team have a highly decent chance of progressing to the playoff round. The consequences attached to this fixture were not about points return but rather a test of whether Celtic could be more obdurate than during a wounding night in Germany. The reigning Europa League champions would always supply formidable opposition. Celtic wobbled during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Aberdeen, in which a 2-0 lead was thrown away, giving the Italians plenty of cause for confidence.
Yet Atalanta had been inefficient during the opening period. Within 20 seconds, Reo Hatate had coughed up easy Celtic possession, which looked an ominous indicator for things to come. Instead, the visitors were, generally, perfectly disciplined. When concentration was required, Celtic displayed it. They also posed a threat on the break; Nicolas Kühn should have done better when rampaging towards goal in the 10th minute. Arne Engels did test the home goalkeeper, Marco Carnesecchi, the Belgian’s shot batted away. Atalanta’s early territorial dominance came without reward. Mario Pasalic looked certain to score but blasted his shot straight at the legs of Kasper Schmeichel. Alistair Johnston provided a superb block to deny Ademola Lookman a minute before the break. Those incidents, plus a Mateo Retegui header which Schmeichel dealt with, were the sum of Atalanta’s first-half chances. Celtic headed to the dressing room at the break in Dortmund 5-1 down; this constituted a moral victory by comparison.
Álex Valle almost snatched an unlikely opener for Celtic within five minutes of the restart. Instead, the full-back’s deflected shot flew narrowly over with Carnesecchi scrambling. Isak Hien headed wide and Marten de Roon forced Schmeichel into action from long range as Atalanta looked to douse frustration in the stands. Gian Piero Gasperini’s next move raised eyebrows. Retegui, the topscorer in Serie A, was withdrawn shortly before the hour mark. Rodgers responded by replacing Adam Idah with Kyogo Furuhashi. The Irishman had been a surprise choice to lead the Celtic attack from the outset. Idah spent 68 minutes on the periphery of the game, which he could reasonably argue was hardly his fault. Gasperini was increasingly agitated. Davide Zappacosta found Schmeichel’s side netting with teammates screaming for a pass. Celtic’s test with 20 minutes to play was one of endurance. Defending with such intensity had to sap energy. Engels departed, so too did Daizen Maeda, as Rodgers looked to maintain freshness. Valle found Furuhashi with a glorious ball from deep, with the Japanese miscuing his attempted lob of Atalanta’s custodian.
Hien headed over Schmeichel’s bar in stoppage time. Celtic knew they had their point. The celebrations from those in green and white suggested what transpired here meant a great deal more than that.
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