Source: Team_Talk
Loovens hoping for 'strange' result
Glenn Loovens admits Celtic need a "strange" result to keep their Champions League dream alive following a 3-0 defeat by Braga.[LNB] Like manager Neil Lennon, Loovens insists the Hoops' third qualifying round clash is not over, despite last night's crushing defeat at the AXA Stadium.[LNB]But the Dutch defender acknowledges it will take an epic turnaround to prevent his side crashing out of Europe's premier club competition and into the Europa League play-offs.[LNB]"Everything happens in football," the 26-year-old said. "But, you have to be honest. We still have a game to go, but three goals is quite a lot.[LNB]"Like I said, though, strange things can happen in football."[LNB]Both sides looked off the pace last night in what was their first competitive match of the season, while the Portuguese heat perhaps also played a part.[LNB]But Braga still managed to create several opportunities, while Celtic played like strangers, their four debutants all failing to make any impact.[LNB]Asked if he thought the new-look side - containing summer signings Joe Ledley, Charlie Mulgrew, Efrain Juarez and Cha Du-Ri - could gel in time to for the second leg, Loovens said: "We will see. After this performance, you would like to think so. We need to step up, and step up quickly."[LNB]Overturning a 3-0 first leg deficit is not without precedent in European football, but it is extremely rare.[LNB]Celtic almost came back from 5-0 down five years ago against Artmedia Bratislava, winning the return leg of the second qualifying round clash 4-0 at Parkhead.[LNB]One thing is clear, this tie will be over if they defend next week like they did last night.[LNB]Loovens branded the manner in which he and his team-mates conceded two goals in the final 15 minutes as "a joke".[LNB]The visitors looked to be heading for a 1-0 defeat after conceding a controversial first-half penalty to Alan but they allowed Braga to score twice from set pieces late in the game.[LNB]Loovens said: "It was not good enough for the Champions League. We gave away an easy penalty, but I never felt we were in trouble of any sort in the game because they didn't really spread us open.[LNB]"To be fair, we have to be better on the ball, because we could not put three passes together.[LNB]"In the second half, we continued to play badly on the ball, but hardly gave anything away. Then, two sloppy set pieces and you are 3-0 behind.[LNB]"It was already hard. But, how we gave the last two goals away was a joke.[LNB]"You would take 1-0 home, and everything is wide open. But now 3-0 behind, it makes it a tough task for us."[LNB]Emphasising just how poor Celtic were in possession, Loovens added: "We gave the ball away so sloppily that it was hard to get into the game because they came at us, attack after attack.[LNB]"We couldn't get three passes together, and it is hard to get into the game like that.[LNB]"Yet, we hardly gave anything away, and to concede three goals from set pieces is hard to swallow."[LNB]Although insisting the buck stopped with the players, Loovens echoed his manager's criticism of the officials, particularly assistant referee Frank Bleyen's decision to penalise Ki Sung-Yeung for handball in the box.[LNB]He said: "It was hard for me to see. I think it came off his chest. Maybe it touched his arm, but he (Bleyen) could not get his flag up quickly enough."[LNB]Summing up the feelings of the entire squad, he added: "With 15 minutes to go, we all felt we had it under control."
