Callum McGregor insists Celtic are not yet frozen out of Europe despite being left needing a miracle in the Arctic Circle.
The Hoops captain admitted his side were well off the mark after getting bashed by Bodo Glimt in last night’s damaging 3-1 Europa Conference League first leg defeat in Glasgow.
But McGregor is not ready to throw the towel in just yet – as scrapping the away goals rule still gives his men hope.
He said: “There was enough in the game to suggest we can go there and turn it around.
“We need to stay focused and stay calm. We know it will be a tough game out there but I saw enough in the match to believe can can turn it around.
“If the game finishes 2-1 we would have a real good chance. But that’s the sort of naivety we have at this level in terms of this being a new group.
“So, we’ve got to learn from that. We’ll do the analysis and learn that you’ve always got to switch on, especially when you score. That’s probably when you’re at your most vulnerable.
“We have to take that on the chin, reassess it, we go there next week and we try to turn it around.”
Bodo are still in pre-season and had not played a competitive game since December.
But it was Celtic who were caught cold as the Norwegians were ahead when Runar Espejord struck inside the opening six minutes.
It got worse for the Hoops when Ahmahl Pellegrino pounced to make it two and despite Daizen Maeda pulling one back, the immediate response from Hugo Vetlesen has left Celts with a mountain to climb.
McGregor said: “It is always difficult when you go a goal behind so early in the game. That gives you a mountain to climb.
“We created a lot of good situations around the box but we were just lacking in that bit of quality.
“We got the goal and thought we had the ascendancy.
“But then we conceded straight away.
“It was just the final pass wasn’t there. It shows we still have a lot of learning to do to step up in these big games and in those final moments.
“They got three goals tonight because they had that quality.”
