Arsenal legend Martin Keown has issued a stark warning to Celtic, cautioning them against “pretending” they can compete with Europe’s elite clubs after their humiliating defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
The Scottish champions endured a torrid night in Germany as the Bundesliga giants ruthlessly put seven goals past Kasper Schmeichel, in a performance that could have been even worse had Nuri Sahin’s side been more clinical in front of goal.
The 7-1 demolition at the intimidating Westfalenstadion left Brendan Rodgers facing fresh criticism for another heavy European defeat, adding to previous batterings against the likes of Barcelona, PSG, and Atletico Madrid during his tenure.
Keown, speaking on TNT Sports’ Goals Show, did not hold back in his assessment of the Hoops’ collapse, directing criticism at both Rodgers and his players.
He also pointed to the disparity between Celtic’s domestic dominance and their struggles on the European stage. Keown said,
“You can’t keep playing the same way. They didn’t adjust. In their own domestic league, they are just too good for everyone else and they are not used to being out of possession.”
Keown argued that the failure to adapt against top-tier opposition was as much Rodgers’ responsibility as it was the players’.
“It’s about learning from this, but the manager is just as culpable as the players. You don’t win on your own and take all the credit for the wins in the domestic league and everyone is saying ‘Brendan is a fantastic manager’ – it’s a joint effort. They are equally to blame here. The manager needs to sort this out with the players.”
He concluded with a blunt message:
“You can’t go toe-to-toe with some of these European greats. They played in the final of the Champions League last year. You have got to adjust. You can’t pretend there is not a difference in quality and that’s what happened tonight.”