2015-08-19: Celtic 3-2 Malmo, European Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2015 – 2016 | 2015-16 Pictures

Trivia

• Champions League 2015-16
  
• European Cup playoffs 1st leg, winner over two legs enters the Champions League group stages. Big prize.
  
• "We want to be in the Champions League. That's the goal, I've said that since coming to this club."- Ronny Deila
  
• Ex-Celt Berget in Malmo side, their top scorer so far this season (they play an annual season). He was a flop loan at Celtic. Malmo not doing well domestically in Sweden. Papers playing it up that he has said he wants revenge for being snubbed at Celtic by Deila etc.
  
• Berget gets his wish with two goals to keep Malmo in the tie.
• "Celtic players behaved like ‘pigs’ and ‘children’", says Malmo’s Johan Wiland. He later retracts it a bit, as claims in Swedish it's how you say someone played dirty and just sounds more offensive translated.
  
• Celtic have to hurdle three sets of qualifiers to reach the group stages, this is the final pair. Rich rewards for the winner.
  
• Both already guaranteed European football to winter as winners into Champions League Group stages, losers into Europa League Group stages.
  
• Malmo defeated Salzburg to reach this round having lost two nil away and then three nil win at home. Salzburg drew at their home with Celtic last season and defeated Celtic three one at Celtic Park in the Europa League Group stages last season.
  
• Scotland’s only remaining side after Aberdeen lost in their qualifiers in the Uefa cup last week.
  
• Transfers in: Dedryk Boyata (Man City), Saidy Jonka (Man U free) ; Ciftci (Dundee Utd £1.5m), Scott Allan (Hibs £250k)
  
• Transfers out: Joe Chalmers (to Motherwell) ; Tonev (end loan); Guidetti (end loan); Wakaso (end loan); Zaluska (free); John Herron (free), Amido Balde (free) ; Fridjonsson (free to Reykjavik) ; Adam Matthews (£2m to Sunderland); Paul McMullan (loan to St Mirren), Michael Duffy (Alloa season long loan), Connor McManus (Alloa season long loan) ; Jackson Irvine (to Ross County); Liam Henderson (Hibs loan)
• Snooker legend Jimmy White appears in front of fans at half time.

Review

(silent w of KDS)
I would generally fall into the category of happy clapper, but at times I thought some of our football was excellent last night, particularly in the 1st half. No qualms about sitting in on a 2 goal lead either as the pace we played at early on was unsustainable. To suggest it was fatigue that cost us either goal was plain wrong. In fact, I thought we were playing out time quite comfortably. Looked more a case of a lack of self-belief on our part if anything. Ironically starting so well might even have surprised the players.

Malmo aren't as good as us, but they don't lack self-belief or seem burdened with the same level of expectation. The effect of that injury time goal is to swing the balance from 60-40 for us to them instead. So we still have a decent chance of going through.

What concerns me is that their players will try to mix it over there and ours will come out second best. I actually think our best chance of going through is to kill the game over there as we did in Baku. It will come down to discipline and a rigid game plan is our best chance. But we don't look ready for the CL again. What the last 3 games have shown is just how big a hole has been left by Denayer. Boyata will certainly come good, but with VVD likely to go, we're going to need to bed in a new central defence. Ideally we need to approach a campaign with a stable partnership, so purely from a football perspective another Europa League campaign won't be a bad thing.

(henrimd of KDS)
Despite the general mood here, I actually think we played well. Had a chance even before going 1-0 up in the third minute. Then 2-0 up after ten, and Johansen could have made it three. After that we had a lot of possession through the rest of the half, and closed down very well when we didn't. Every shot they had in the first half was from outside the box.

Second half we conceded a stupid goal, but took it in our stride. Regained the two goal lead. From then on out it looked like we were gonna controll in 3-1, with the possibility of getting a fourth. Again lots of possession. Until they scored another goal five minutes into added time, which again was down to errors by us.

We're not good enough defensively in some situations, apart from that I think we look like a good team and played well. The last goal makes it incredible nervy over there and could really cost us. Still think we have a more than fifty per cent chance of going through though. And if we can find some way to remove the idiotic defensive errors, we're a very capable team.

Teams

Celtic

Substitutes

• 04 Ambrose Emuobo
• 07 Ciftci
• 15 Commons
• 16 Mackay-Steven
• 18 Rogic
• 21 Mulgrew
• 26 Bailly

Goals

• Griffiths 3′, 61′
• Bitton 10

Malmö FF

Substitutes

• 02 Konate
• 10 Molins
• 11 Mehmeti
• 22 Sana
• 25 Carvalho da Silva
• 26 Vindheim
• 29 Andersson

Goals

• Berget 52′, 90′

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –

Stats

Celtic Malmö FF

Possession
41% 59%
90mins

Shots
7 10

On target
4 4

Corners
6 4

Fouls
14 13

Articles

Celtic 3 Malmo 2: Berget comes back to haunt Hoops

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/celtic-3-malmo-2-berget-comes-back-to-haunt-hoops-1-3863481

Celtic scorers: Griffiths 3, 61; Bitton 10


Malmo scorers: Berget 52, 90+5

by
STEPHEN HALLIDAY

published 21:45 Wednesday 19 August 2015

THE razzmatazz and riches of the Champions League group stage are in danger of slipping through Celtic’s fingers after the balance of their play-off round tie was dramatically altered in the 95th minute of a pulsating first leg.

Jo Inge Berget, the Norwegian midfielder who flopped during his brief loan spell with the Scottish champions last season, returned to haunt his compatriot Ronny Deila with two potentially significant away goals for Malmö.

Leigh Griffiths celebrates with team-mates after scoring his team's first goal. Picture: Getty
Leigh Griffiths celebrates with team-mates after scoring his team's first goal. Picture: Getty

It took the shine off what had for long spells been a positive evening for Deila’s men which saw Leigh Griffiths make the most of his first European start of the season. He scored twice, either side of a Nir Bitton goal, to apparently put Celtic in the driving seat.

But Berget’s second goal of the night, with almost the last kick of the game in the fifth minute of stoppage time, makes next Tuesday’s second leg at the Swedbank Stadium in Malmö an altogether more daunting prospect for Celtic.

Deila’s pre-match signals had indicated he was set to keep faith with Nadir Ciftci up front but his decision to instead hand the responsibility to Griffiths was vindicated as he put his side ahead after just two minutes and 35 seconds.

Malmö appeared like the proverbial rabbits in the headlights as Celtic made a turbo-charged start to seize control of the tie.

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Even before Griffiths’ opener, the visitors’ defence appeared uncertain and vulnerable. James Forrest, preferred to Gary Mackay-Steven on the right of Celtic’s advanced midfield trio, forced a corner inside the first minute. Stefan Johansen curled it towards the far post where Virgil van Dijk had a shot blocked before Malmö finally managed to scramble the ball to safety.

But Age Hareide’s men had no answer to the incisive move which gave Celtic the lead. Stuart Armstrong glided infield with purpose from the left and fed Johansen on the edge of the penalty area. The Norwegian midfielder played a first-time pass into the feet of Griffiths who controlled the ball with his first touch and drove it low beyond Malmö keeper Johan Wiland with his second.

There was little respite for the Swedish champions as Celtic built on that initiative and doubled their lead just seven minutes later. Armstrong, whose intelligent movement was proving a serious problem for Malmö, whipped over a terrific cross from the left which Yoshimar Yotun managed to nod over his own crossbar at the expense of a corner.

Johansen produced another fine delivery from the set piece, dropping the ball right into the heart of the six-yard box where Bitton climbed highest amid shambolic defending to power a header beyond the helpless Wiland.

Celtic looked in the mood to put this tie beyond Malmö in rapid order and they should have added a third in the 12th minute.

Emilio Izaguirre and Griffiths combined superbly to set up the opportunity for Johansen who found himself clear inside the penalty area. But his shot lacked conviction and was too close to Wiland who made a comfortable save.

Griffiths then took matters into his own hands again, cutting in from the right to drill a low left-foot shot narrowly wide of Wiland’s left-hand post as Celtic sought to maintain a ferocious tempo.

They were gradually becalmed, however, as Malmö probed their way gingerly into the contest in the knowledge just one away goal could alter the balance of the tie. Vladimir Rodic provided the first indicator that Malmö were capable of recovering from such a torrid start, the winger seizing on a loose clearance from Van Dijk and testing Craig Gordon with a firm shot which the Celtic keeper did well to divert wide for a corner.

While Celtic continued to dominate possession, Malmö were making more of an impression whenever they did manage to force their way into their attacking third of the pitch.

Berget threatened with a shot from distance, Mikael Lustig getting in a block for Celtic which took enough sting out of the effort to allow Gordon to make a simple save.

There was now a feeling that the next goal in this game would be pivotal and Armstrong came close to grabbing it for Celtic before half-time, again stepping in from the left and curling a shot agonisingly wide of Wiland’s left-hand post.

It was a highly satisfying first half from Celtic’s perspective but Malmö could take some consolation from at least preventing the hosts disappearing out of sight at that stage.

The value of that resilience to the Swedes was underlined when they halved the deficit seven minutes after the restart.

Celtic were caught flat-footed as Malmö broke away following an Armstrong corner. Scott Brown’s attempt to stem the threat saw him merely give the ball away with a miscued header. Magnus Eikrem swept in a cross from the right, finding Berget at the other side of the penalty area, from where he curled a fine shot beyond Gordon.

The Celtic keeper had to make a smart save to keep out Nikola Djurdic’s snapshot four minutes later as Malmö sensed the opportunity to turn the tie firmly in their favour.

But that kind of momentum shift was halted in its tracks as Griffiths capped his outstanding night’s work by restoring Celtic’s two-goal cushion in the 61st minute.

Continuing his recent trend of smart headed finishes, Griffiths pounced on a weak attempted clearance by Anton Tinnerholm to loop the ball over the scrambling Wiland from around eight yards.

Griffiths left the field to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Ciftci in the closing stages which also saw Celtic withdraw Lustig with what appeared a potentially serious injury. But an even bigger blow was still to come in the final seconds of stoppage time. Tobias Sana’s corner from the left fell to Berget who concluded his remarkable return to Celtic Park by smashing the ball home from close range.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig (Ambrose 80), Van Dijk, Boyata, Izaguirre, Forrest, Brown, Bitton, Johansen, Armstrong (Mackay-Steven 63), Griffiths (Ciftci 73). Subs Not Used: Bailly, Commons, Rogic, Mulgrew.

Malmo: Wiland, Tinnerholm, Arnason, Bengtsson, Yotun, Rodic, Lewicki, Rakip (Sana 81), Berget, Eikrem (Carvalho 72), Djurdjic. Subs Not Used: Fredrik Andersson, Konate, Molins, Mehmeti, Vindheim.

BBC
By Alasdair Lamont
BBC Scotland at Celtic Park A late Jo Inge Berget strike left Celtic's Champions League play-off with Malmo precariously balanced after the first leg of their tie.

A double from Leigh Griffiths and Nir Bitton's header looked like giving Celtic a foothold in the group stage.

Berget – brought to Celtic by Ronny Deila on loan last summer – had already struck one away goal to make it 2-1.

But his second, with virtually the last kick of the ball deep in stoppage time, gave the Swedes a huge boost.

Celtic will probably have to avoid defeat in Sweden if they are to return to the group stage of European football's elite competition.

A year ago they had slumped out of the Champions League during the play-off stage – and bizarrely did so not once but twice.

They were given a reprieve after defeat by Legia Warsaw, who fielded an ineligible player, but Deila's Celtic could not find a way past Maribor.

Nir Bitton scores for Celtic against Malmo Bitton headed home from Stefan Johansen's corner to put Celtic two up

Twelve months on they look a different beast altogether, more in tune with their manager's desires and demands.

Certainly they began the match with an intensity that Malmo found impossible to live with, hounding their opponents and driven on by a raucous support that greeted Griffiths's opening goal with a huge roar.

Stuart Armstrong left Malmo defenders in his wake as he drove in from the left to lay the ball off for Stefan Johansen.

The Norwegian's first-time ball picked out the run of Griffiths perfectly and the striker coolly side-footed past the exposed Johan Wiland.

It was the first time Griffiths had been preferred in attack to Nadir Ciftci in the Champions League this season and it looked like the right call by Deila.

The furious tempo continued and when Johansen swung in a pinpoint corner for Bitton to head in from close range, Celtic looked as though they could kill off the tie in the first half.

They might have done so but Johansen fired straight at the keeper, Griffiths found the side-netting and Armstrong arrowed a shot a foot or so away from the top corner.

Leigh Griffiths celebrates after scoring for Celtic against Malmo Griffiths marked his first European start of the season with two goals

But scattered among those efforts, occasional lapses in concentration crept in, with Craig Gordon required to make an excellent one-handed stop to deny Vladimir Rodic.

Celtic failed to heed the warning though, and Berget punished a stray Scott Brown header by thundering a shot past Gordon from a tight angle.

The winger had previously been just as peripheral to most of the evening's action as he had during his six months as a Celtic player.

But just as Berget and Malmo grew in confidence, they were sucker-punched by a second from Griffiths.

Anton Tinnerholm failed to deal with a deep cross, knocking it into the air, allowing the stronger and more forceful Griffiths to climb above him to loop a header over Wiland and in off the far post.

That was not the end to the drama, though, as Berget pounced on a loose ball six yards out to hammer high into the net – ensuring the evening ended on a low for Celtic and setting up a tense evening in Malmo on Tuesday.

Live Text Commentary
Full time Full Time
Match ends, Celtic 3, Malmö FF 2.
90:00 +5:31 Full time Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 3, Malmö FF 2.
90:00 +4:37 Goal scored Goal!
Goal! Celtic 3, Malmö FF 2. Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF) right footed shot from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Felipe Carvalho with a headed pass following a corner.
90:00 +4:14 Booking Booking
Stefan Johansen (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
90:00 +4:12 Booking Booking
Yoshimar Yotún (Malmö FF) is shown the yellow card.
90:00 +3:41 Corner, Malmö FF. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
90:00 +1:18 Craig Gordon (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90:00 +1:18 Foul by Kári Arnason (Malmö FF).
90:00 +0:47 Booking Booking
Nadir Ciftci (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
90:00 +0:42 Foul by Nadir Ciftci (Celtic).
90:00 +0:42 Vladimir Rodic (Malmö FF) wins a free kick on the right wing.
89:55 Attempt blocked. Yoshimar Yotún (Malmö FF) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
87:43 Delay over. They are ready to continue.
86:37 Delay in match Nir Bitton (Celtic) because of an injury.
85:06 James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85:06 Foul by Yoshimar Yotún (Malmö FF).
84:27 Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84:27 Foul by Vladimir Rodic (Malmö FF).
83:25 Attempt missed. Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
81:04 Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
.81:04 Vladimir Rodic (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
80:07 Substitution Substitution
Substitution, Malmö FF. Tobias Sana replaces Erdal Rakip.
79:11 Substitution Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Efe Ambrose replaces Mikael Lustig because of an injury.
78:46 Delay over. They are ready to continue.
78:04 Delay in match Mikael Lustig (Celtic) because of an injury.
76:47 Foul by James Forrest (Celtic).
76:47 Felipe Carvalho (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
75:35 Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
75:35 Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF) wins a free kick on the right wing.
75:16 Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Celtic).
75:16 Felipe Carvalho (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
74:33 Booking Booking
Scott Brown (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
74:32 Booking Booking
Erdal Rakip (Malmö FF) is shown the yellow card.
74:08 Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
74:08 Foul by Erdal Rakip (Malmö FF).
73:41 Nadir Ciftci (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
73:41 Foul by Felipe Carvalho (Malmö FF).
73:01 Substitution Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Nadir Ciftci replaces Leigh Griffiths.
71:51 Dedryck Boyata (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
71:51 Foul by Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF).
71:26 Substitution Substitution
Substitution, Malmö FF. Felipe Carvalho replaces Magnus Wolff Eikrem.
68:51 Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yoshimar Yotún.
67:43 Booking Booking
Anton Tinnerholm (Malmö FF) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
67:36 James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
67:36 Foul by Anton Tinnerholm (Malmö FF).
65:48 Delay over. They are ready to continue.
65:21 Delay in match Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) because of an injury.
63:28 Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).
63:28 Oscar Lewicki (Malmö FF) wins a free kick on the left wing.
62:21 Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
62:21 Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
61:45 Substitution Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Gary Mackay-Steven replaces Stuart Armstrong.
60:56 Goal scored Goal!
Goal! Celtic 3, Malmö FF 1. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
58:24 Offside, Celtic. Stuart Armstrong tries a through ball, but Virgil van Dijk is caught offside.
57:41 Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kári Arnason.
57:39 Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stuart Armstrong.
55:13 Offside, Malmö FF. Yoshimar Yotún tries a through ball, but Magnus Wolff Eikrem is caught offside.
55:04 Attempt saved. Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
53:29 Offside, Celtic. Craig Gordon tries a through ball, but James Forrest is caught offside.
51:23 Goal scored Goal!
Goal! Celtic 2, Malmö FF 1. Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Magnus Wolff Eikrem with a cross.
50:26 Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Kári Arnason.
49:04 Foul by Mikael Lustig (Celtic).
49:04 Erdal Rakip (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
47:53 Mikael Lustig (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
47:53 Foul by Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF).
46:32 Mikael Lustig (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
46:32 Foul by Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF).
45:51 Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
45:51 Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF) wins a free kick on the right wing.
45:00 Second Half begins Celtic 2, Malmö FF 0.
45:00 +1:03 Half time Half Time
First Half ends, Celtic 2, Malmö FF 0.
44:55 Offside, Malmö FF. Yoshimar Yotún tries a through ball, but Nikola Djurdjic is caught offside.
43:04 Attempt missed. Erdal Rakip (Malmö FF) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Oscar Lewicki.
42:26 Corner, Malmö FF. Conceded by Stefan Johansen.
41:56 Corner, Malmö FF. Conceded by Mikael Lustig.
39:54 Foul by James Forrest (Celtic).
39:54 Kári Arnason (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
35:40 Attempt missed. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Emilio Izaguirre.
34:58 Attempt missed. Vladimir Rodic (Malmö FF) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Erdal Rakip.
34:01 Attempt blocked. Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Oscar Lewicki.
29:59 Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
29:59 Vladimir Rodic (Malmö FF) wins a free kick on the right wing.
27:35 Attempt missed. Nikola Djurdjic (Malmö FF) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Vladimir Rodic.
22:23 Corner, Malmö FF. Conceded by Craig Gordon.
22:20 Attempt saved. Vladimir Rodic (Malmö FF) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
20:26 James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
20:26 Foul by Erdal Rakip (Malmö FF).
19:46 Offside, Celtic. Leigh Griffiths tries a through ball, but Stuart Armstrong is caught offside.
18:27 Foul by James Forrest (Celtic).
18:27 Erdal Rakip (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
16:14 Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by James Forrest.
15:23 Foul by Stefan Johansen (Celtic).
15:23 Anton Tinnerholm (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
14:33 James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
14:33 Foul by Yoshimar Yotún (Malmö FF).
13:31 Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
13:31 Foul by Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF).
12:02 Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Johan Wiland.
12:00 Attempt saved. Stefan Johansen (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Leigh Griffiths.
9:50 Goal scored Goal!
Goal! Celtic 2, Malmö FF 0. Nir Bitton (Celtic) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Stefan Johansen with a cross following a corner.
9:13 Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yoshimar Yotún.
7:19 Offside, Celtic. Dedryck Boyata tries a through ball, but Leigh Griffiths is caught offside.
4:48 Foul by Mikael Lustig (Celtic).
4:48 Jo Inge Berget (Malmö FF) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
2:34 Goal scored Goal!
Goal! Celtic 1, Malmö FF 0. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Stefan Johansen with a through ball.
2:09 James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
2:09 Foul by Yoshimar Yotún (Malmö FF).
1:20 Offside, Celtic. Stefan Johansen tries a through ball, but Stuart Armstrong is caught offside.
0:32 Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Yoshimar Yotún.
0:00 First Half begins.
0:00 Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
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Celtic players behaved like ‘pigs’ and ‘children’, says Malmo’s Johan Wiland
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/20/celtic-players-pigs-children-malmo

• Malmo goalkeeper unimpressed with home team’s behaviour
• ‘They seemed more interested in talking than their performance’

Marcus Christenson
Thursday 20 August 2015 10.51 BST Last modified on Thursday 20 August 2015 11.43 BST

The Malmo goalkeeper Johan Wiland has said that Celtic’s players behaved like “pigs” and “children” during the Champions League play-off first leg between the two teams at Celtic Park on Wednesday night. Celtic won 3-2 but the Swedes go in to the second leg hopeful of overturning the deficit after Jo Inge Berget’s crucial second goal in added on time.

Celtic led 3-1 going into the 94th minute but failed to defend a corner and the Norwegian, who had a loan spell with the Scottish team in 2014, pounced to deny the home team a two-goal-cushion. It was a niggly game and after the final whistle the Malmo players spoke were critical of how their Celtic counterparts’ behaved during the game.

“They are pigs, all of them, that’s the way it is,” Wiland told Kvallsposten. “You just have to try to stay cool and do what we have to do on the pitch. Leigh Griffiths [who scored twice for Celtic], well, I don’t know what to say, he behaved like a child, tugging shirts all the time.”

The Malmo defender Rasmus Bengtsson told Sportbladet: “There were some players who talked a lot. You probably know who I mean. They have a captain [Scott Brown] and a few others who like to talk. But that’s the way it is at this level. One player who came on [Nadir Ciftci] was not particularly nice. The first thing he wanted to do when he came on was to talk. He had more focus on that than his performance. And I don’t think it was to their advantage that they were running around focusing on other things.”

Berget, however, did not join in the criticism of the Celtic players. “I don’t want to say that they are a group of pigs. They have some tough players. We knew before the game that it would be tough so you just have to roll with it.”