Joe Hart knows it now feels Real that Celtic will be back in the Champions League.
The Parkhead No.1 will get to roll back the years as he makes his long-awaited return to Europe’s premier club competition. The former England keeper had many big nights while at Manchester City.
Perhaps the biggest was back in 2016, when Manuel Pellegrini-led City were knocked out at the semi-final stage by Real Madrid. Fernando’s second-leg own goal did for City – the only goal of a tight tie – and the Spanish giants went on to lift the trophy. It was Hart’s last appearance in the competition.
The keeper is hoping to add some new Champions League memories in the new season – but he knows the coming campaign will be a huge challenge for Ange Postecoglou’s side. Celtic go into the group stages among the lowest-ranked seeds, so if they’re going to make their mark, they’ll have to do it the hard way.
Hart said: “There’s not really an unheard of team. The only teams that might have been slightly less well-known are going to be in our pot anyway. So, we’ll need to play the big teams.
“I know that it’s ahead and soon the groups will be drawn up but it’s hard to look past anything when we’re so involved in what we’re doing. It’s been a lot of fun [playing in Europe]. Getting into the Champions League with Man City when we had never done that before was a big achievement.
“Then we went from playing in it to competing in it. We got to the semi-final one year. The last time I was in the Champions League was 2016, and the semi-final against Real Madrid was my last game.”
Celtic have spent relatively big to bring in Alexandro Bernabei, Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer. But even those fees will be a drop in the ocean compared to what a lot of the Champions League big-hitters will be spending in this window.
Hart added: “Of course it’s where the club wants to be, but it is what it is. The Champions League doesn’t exclude you, either get in it or you don’t. We’ve earned the right this year, so we’re going to look to build on the fact we’ve earned that right and compete in it. There’s no point complaining [about money].
“We’re in a business where money exists, so you don’t moan about it, we get on with it. We’ve built the best possible squad we can with the best mentality, and we’re going to play the best team football that we possibly can. However that ends, it ends with us walking in being proud of what we’ve done.”
The 35-year-old, now on his 20th pre-season, certainly hasn’t lost any of his hunger. Fitness won’t be a problem, either, because he kept ticking over during his holiday.
Hart said: “I got maybe five weeks off. We are given a program over the summer. I think the modern-day pro
just stays on top of things, and especially at my age I know how to look after myself. There’s no point in switching off, it’s not a long enough career to be switching off, so I just carry on.”
Maybe Hart was just itching to get back after his first season at Celtic saw him get a hold of league and Premier Sports Cup winner’s gongs. He admitted: “It was fun, it was a good year and it was nice to have success at the end of it. But in terms of input, it was pretty much the same as I’ve always put in. I did my best.
“In the year just gone it was good enough to win some medals and put in some good performances, but I don’t want to stop there. However much more there is to come from me, I want it to be at the highest level possible and for me to be pushing myself to the limit.”
Is it even more enjoyable because of the way Postecoglou wants to play, by passing it out
from the back? Hart said: “All the way, especially with the new-found kind of energy from the way we are playing.
“It’s a different system for me to be involved in, and it’s something I’m still trying to learn. I don’t think age matters when you are trying to develop.
“Yeah, I’ve probably explored things that I’ve never had to explore under previous regimes. But I’ve always said, whatever the manager wants, I’ll try my best to do. That’s what we’re doing here."
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