Ronny Deila rocked as 'frightened and scared' Celtic suffer Champions League woe

26 August 2015 08:01

Ronny Deila claimed his Celtic side looked 'frightened and scared' during the 2-0 defeat by Malmo at the Swedbank stadion which saw them knocked out of the Champions League 4-3 on aggregate.

Leading 3-2 from the first leg of their play-off clash in Glasgow, the visitors fell behind in the 23rd minute to a goal from Malmo skipper Markus Rosenberg who was banned for the first game.

Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton then had the ball in the net from a corner, only for Serbian referee Milorad Mazic to award a foul to Age Hareide's side.

It appeared a harsh decision and it was compounded in the 54th minute when Malmo grabbed their second goal with a header from substitute Felipe Carvalho which Hoops defender Dedryck Boyata could only divert over the line.

Celtic's Norwegian manager was scathing about his side's performance.

Deila said: "It is quite simply not even close to the level we can be at. We looked very uncomfortable on the ball, we didn't want the ball.

"We looked very frightened and scared and that is very disappointing. We did it as a team, not as individuals.

"It was a team performance not at the level we can expect at this level. I am a part of that, I am leader of this team. That is my responsibility and I am very disappointed.

"We have to learn from this, evaluate this and get stronger but it is a difficult lesson. Malmo deserved to go through.

"There is a lot of talk in Scotland about Celtic and the Champions League and that makes the games even bigger and it seemed like we didn't cope with that pressure."

Deila claimed the game could have changed in his side's favour had Bitton's close-range strike been allowed to stand.

Malmo defender Kari Arnason appeared to handle Stuart Armstrong's corner before the Israel midfielder turned and hooked the ball into the net only for referee Mazic to signal an infringement in the home side's favour.

Deila said: "It could have changed. It is irritating, that could have influenced the game.

"It wasn't clear at the time but I saw it afterwards and it was a big mistake. It was a clear goal and it could have changed the game.

"It was very disappointing.

"But I have to look at the overall game and it was not good enough."

Celtic drop down to the Europa League again and the former Stromsgodset boss insists the Scottish champions will make the best of it.

He said: "The Europa League is better than nothing.

"It is a good competition and there is a lot of things we can learn from those matches.

"It is very important for Celtic as a club

"We are a better team than last season but we weren't today.

"But overall the performances this season have been better than last season."

Defeat sees the Hoops miss out on Champions League money reported to be upwards of £15million.

Asked if Celtic would need to sell defender Virgil van Dijk, linked with a £10million move to Southampton, to make up for the shortfall, Deila said: "We don't have to sell him. But you never know what happens in football.

"But he is under contract with us, he is a very good football player and a football player we want to keep."

Age Hareide has taken Malmo to the group stages of the Champions League for the second successive season, was riled when asked if his side were lucky with Celtic's 'goal' which was disallowed.

The Norwegian said: "I didn't think we were lucky. We were unlucky. It should have been 4-0.

"There were two fantastic saves by the goalkeeper, the first from Nikola Djurdjic in the first half and then another one. It was a clear-cut chance.

"And if they got a goal, it would have been 2-1 and we would have gone through anyway, so why are you asking if we were lucky?"

Source: PA