Celtic

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland in Bergamo

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Defender Auston Trusty says Celtic "showed the world what we are" after bouncing back from their humbling by Borussia Dortmund to secure a hard-earned point away to Atalanta in the Champions League.

Trusty endured a torrid night at the Westfalenstadion on his first Champions League start as Dortmund ran riot in a 7-1 win, but the American delivered a towering defensive performance alongside Liam Scales to snuff out the Europa League winners in Bergamo.

"The beauty of football is that if there was another game, we could react and show the world what team we really are," Trusty, 26, said.

"Sometimes you just have those nights, and obviously that's a night we'd never want to see again or feel again.

"I think that put a pin in our stomach, so we wanted to come out here and show the world what we can do to show the world what we are.

"I'm used to these situations and I think I can bring a lot of expertise to this squad and to this organisation where I can be a leader on the team, on and off the pitch."

We asked for your views after Celtic held hosts Atalanta to a goalless draw in the Champions League.

Here's what some of you said:

Patrick: Fantastic performance from every player and great tactics. I've never seen such an exciting 0-0 draw! Excellent result for us away from home in the Champions League. Bring on the home games.

Malcolm: Glad Celtic learned to take a different approach into the Atalanta game - it shows that when you change your normal style in Europe you can go toe to toe with the best.

Andy: Great defensive performance, rode our luck though. However, Adam Idah was there to hold the ball up but couldn't, must do better as just now does not look worth the money. Arne Engles has been posted missing the last two games. That may be due to the opposition targeting him but he must do better in possession. Overall a bonus point hard earned.

John: Great result - to go from a flat-out attacking team to a brick-wall defence must be difficult. Auston Trusty and Alex Valle are really settling in well. Engels had a hard shift but has such a classy touch.

Brian: Great defensive performance by Celtic, all the players stuck to their tasks and got the result they deserved.

Michael: One of the best defensive games I've seen in the Champions League. Liam Scales was my man of the match and Trusty did a good job. This point could be crucial for us.

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Former Celtic captain and manager Neil Lennon

"I think it's one of best results in Brendan Rodgers' career. They have proven tonight they can go away from home and dig out a result."

Former Scotland forward James McFadden

"Even the most optimistic Celtic fan wouldn't have expected a clean sheet at Atalanta. Celtic were far more narrow and compact [than the Dortmund game].

"It's a fantastic result, it really is. Liam Scales and Auston Trusty were outstanding. The two of them didn't panic. Atalanta asked a lot of questions and Celtic had the answers."

Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart

"So many moments in that game it felt like the pressure was similar to the Dortmund game.

"Dortmund got out of control very quickly, but this time Celtic could deal in the chaos, win the big headers, got a little bit of luck, and some big saves from Kasper Schmeichel.

"Once it got through to 70 minutes it felt like Atalanta ran out of ideas. Celtic as a complete squad, brilliant effort."

Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner

"That was much more like it. Celtic got better in the second half. I thought they'd actually be under more pressure.

"They defended their box brilliantly. I've got to give credit to Rodgers and the staff, they got it absolutely right."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland in Bergamo

Captain Callum McGregor says nullifying Atalanta will give Celtic confidence they can go away from home and compete with any team in the Champions League.

The Scottish champions produced a resolute defensive display to snuff out the Europa League winners in Bergamo and emerge with a goalless draw.

Coming off the back of a 7-1 trouncing against Borussia Dortmund in Germany on matchday two, McGregor says his team delivered a “brave” performance to secure a precious point in their bid to reach the knockout stages.

"Probably everyone from the outside maybe thinking that we didn't have a chance after the Dortmund game,” McGregor said.

"It was about trying to do ourselves justice, putting in a proper performance.

"I don't think you can come to many tougher places against a tougher opponent really.

"They obviously won the Europa League last year, beat some big teams and were really strong and powerful.

"When you see them up close and personal, they're all big strong boys, they can all play football.

"So there's not many teams that will test you as much as they tested us tonight, so hopefully we can take big confidence from that and belief when the next game comes around, which we know will be another tough one as well."

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• Celtic have kept a Champions League clean sheet for the first time since a 3-0 win over Anderlecht in September 2017, ending a run of 18 games without one in which they shipped 51 goals.

• Although they failed to score in the first half, Atalanta accumulated an xG (expected goals) total of 1.71, the fourth highest by a team in the first half of a Champions League game this season. Indeed, two of those four highest first-half xG totals have been against Celtic, with Borussia Dortmund posting 2.1 xG in their match on 1 October.

• Celtic attempted four shots in this game, their fewest in a match in this Champions League season.

• Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has made six saves in each of his last two Champions League appearances. Here he became the first Celtic goalkeeper to make as many as six saves and keep a clean sheet in a Champions League game on record (since 2003-04).

• The goalless draw ended a run of 85 consecutive games in major European matches without a 0-0 for Celtic, with their last such result coming against Benfica back in September 2012 in a Champions League match.

• Atalanta are just the second team on record in the Champions League (from 2008-09 onwards) to have 20+ shots (22) and 50+ touches in the opposition box (54) and not score a goal, along with Paris St-Germain against Borussia Dortmund in last season’s semi-final second leg (30 shots, 50 touches in the opposition box).

Former England defender Martin Keown praised Celtic for their performance at Atalanta and said it "was very reminiscent of the way Arsenal played" during his era. (Daily Record)

Kasper Schmeichel's dad Peter was unimpressed with fellow pundit Jamie Carragher teasing him that Atalanta had scored while the pair worked on Celtic's Champions League tie for American TV. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

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Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel tells TNT Sports: "It was a tough game, knew it would be.

"We had to learn from the Dortmund game and defend for our lives, we did that. Very proud of the boys.

"To come here and get a point is a good point. We took a more practical approach in this one, took less chances in our build-up due to their man-to-man system.

"I thought we did all right."

A terrific defensive display brought Celtic an important Champions League point as they held last season's Europa League winners Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo.

Having lost all previous seven matches on Italian soil in this competition, Celtic resisted periods of immense pressure from the hosts to take a significant step in their bid to reach the knockout stage.

Give us your thoughts on the match here, external.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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"An assault on your spirit" was how Brendan Rodgers described that walloping in the Westfalenstadion. The manager was bullish in his insistence he would not compromise his attacking philosophy for a more pragmatic style against the bigger guns in this competition.

This was a different Celtic though, a more resolute and organised unit than the side that crumbled against Dortmund.

Adam Idah starting ahead of Kyogo to lead the line was a tactical switch from Rodgers, with the Irishman offering himself up for direct balls when Celtic needed to relieve the pressure and get themselves up the pitch.

In the absence of defensive lynchpin Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty stood up with towering displays at the heart of the defence. Those two were standouts in a tremendous collective effort.

The midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate put in tireless shifts, and while the team's use of the ball could have been better at times, they eliminated the type of individual errors that proved so ruinous in Dortmund.

For too long Celtic have been a soft touch away from home in Europe, but Rodgers may finally have struck upon a gameplan that makes them an altogether more resilient side away from the comforts of Celtic Park.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "The concentration in the game was superb. You’re talking about the highest goalscorers in Italian football. The players showed great courage. It was a really good point for us.

"I never doubted the players and their mentality. I was so proud of them.

"I think if you look at our opening three games, to have four points I’m so, so happy with that. The four points is equal to what we have last year, so with five games to go hopefully, we can add to that.

"It gives them the confidence that you can defend against a top team. I’m not sure whether that was pragmatic enough for some people tonight.

"You’re never comfortable until the final whistle goes especially against a top team.

"Sometimes the luck goes against a Scottish team but we defended manfully tonight and stood up to be counted."

Liam Scales was the experienced Celtic central defender tonight with Cameron Carter-Vickers ruled out, and he stepped up well.

Just how big a task do Celtic – notoriously poor on their travels in the Champions League – face against Atalanta?

Italian football journalist Alasdair MacKenzie gives the lowdown on Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, who are current Europa League champions and have opened their Champions League campaign with a goalless draw at home to Arsenal and 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, MacKenzie said: "They are a side full of confidence, a side that is really starting to come together after a pretty tricky start.

"And although it's quite a new looking team who signed 10 new players this summer, they are very much an Atalanta team cut from the Gasperini cloth, who are going to be, to be honest, a bit of a nightmare for Celtic to deal with.

"Atalanta in Europe have quite a distinctive style where they man mark all over. The intensity of their game can take opponents by surprise a bit.

"Declan Rice after that Arsenal game was basically puffing his cheeks out saying, 'That was really difficult for us.' They're a really tough opponent because they follow you all over the pitch.

"Unfortunately for Celtic, although Atalanta started pretty slowly this season with seven points in their first six league games, they're now motoring along nicely. They've won their last three matches by an aggregate score of 10-1.

"So they are full of confidence now and no man more so than striker Mateo Retegui, who is top of the Serie A scoring charts with eight goals in eight games and nailing down the number nine shirt for Italy as well.

"Gasperini knows exactly how to get his team to get big results on the European stage. And they see Celtic as one of their biggest gimmes of this Champions League."

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Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Bergamo

Image source, SNS

Captain Callum McGregor says Celtic have something to prove in their Champions League showdown against Atalanta after taking "a sore one" against Borussia Dortmund on matchday two.

Brendan Rodgers' side were picked apart in Germany as Dortmund ran riot to win 7-1 and give the Scottish champions a reality check after their opening 5-1 home victory against Slovan Bratislava.

Last season’s Europa League winners will provide another stern test in Bergamo, and McGregor wants his team to show the belief that they belong at the top level of European football.

"We can't lose belief that we're a good side," midfielder McGregor said.

"We know we're a good side. We came up against a top opponent and we weren't quite right on the night.

"At this level, that's what can happen, you can get punished. We are determined to try and put it right and the time has come.

"I think you've always got something to prove, especially when you play for Celtic. Even more so when you take a sore one, then of course everyone's looking for that reaction. Personally and collectively, people are looking to see what direction you're going to go in.

"I think it's important we show that we're together and we're a team that wants to fight and try and get as many points as we can at this level.

"Belief and confidence has a massive part to play in that. We understand that we had a poor night the last time out and it's only us that can fix it."

Image source, Getty Images

• This will be Atalanta's first meeting with Celtic and their first European game against a Scottish team.

• Celtic have lost their last seven Champions League games against Italian teams by an aggregate score of 15-1 since winning 2-1 against AC Milan in October 2007. Away from home, Celtic have lost all of their seven Champions League visits to Italy.

• Atalanta are looking to win successive games in the Champions League for the first time since March 2020, reaching the quarter-final that season.

• Since beating Anderlecht 3-0 in September 2017, Celtic have lost eight of their last nine away matches in the Champions League, conceding 36 goals in that period.

• Atalanta have kept a clean sheet in their last four games in major European competition, the last Italian side to do so in five straight games was AC Milan in April 2023.

• Since the start of 2022-23, Celtic have conceded more goals than any other side in the Champions League (38 – 2.7 per game), while no side has a higher xG per shot faced (0.13) than them among teams that have played at least 10 games in that time.

• Atalanta's Ademola Lookman has been involved in eight goals in his last five starts in major European competition (six goals, two assists), while in the Champions League this season, only three forwards have won possession in the final third more often than him (four).

• Daizen Maeda has scored in each of Celtic's first two games in the Champions League this season, and could become the first player to score in three successive games for them in the competition.

Ex-manager Martin O'Neill believes Celtic are hampered by Rangers' downturn in fortunes as healthy competition between the two improves both sides. (Football Scotland), external

Former Celtic player Massimo Donati urges the current side to face Wednesday's Champions League opponents Atalanta with no fear. (Football Scotland), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Celtic fans in Bergamo look ahead to Wednesday's Champions League tie with Atalanta.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is backing his team to use their "strong spirit and togetherness" against Atalanta as they aim to respond to the "emotionally gutting" Champions League night they experienced in Dortmund.

After kicking off their European campaign with a 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava, Rodgers' side were humiliated in a 7-1 defeat to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.

Rodgers conceded that his "very, very inexperienced" Champions League squad are playing at "a level where you can get punished".

But the Celtic boss feels Wednesday's encounter with last season's Europa League winners is an opportunity for his players to be reminded that they belong in the competition.

"We're competing at the very highest level, so your spirit can be affected after games like [Dortmund]," Rodgers said.

"As a football player, you don't want to be sat in a changing room and feeling that again. That's something the players know themselves.

"It's an emotionally gutted feeling after a result like that. But this is a team whose spirit and togetherness is so strong. For us, it's about that tactical discipline, having that togetherness and having that belief in your quality.

"These are belief games. You have to go into these and really believe you can get the result. It might not always go your way, but you certainly have to go in with that belief.

"This is the long game here in Europe in terms of what we're trying to achieve. Not just this season, but going forward. That was one of the big reasons I came back, to show we can make that progress."

Rodgers also revealed he came close to bringing Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman to Celtic during his first spell.

The 27-year-old, who went on to play under Rodgers at Leicester, scored a hat-trick in the Serie A side's Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen last season.

"I met him in a hotel in London and we were looking to convince him to come," the Celtic boss added.

"[It was] close in the fact he was really excited by the project. He was at Charlton at the time, he wanted to join a big club.

"Sadly, we just couldn't get to the levels Charlton wanted for him. But the club did everything they possibly could at that time."