Losing 3-0 to your fiercest rivals? Yeah, that burns. Celtic’s Colby Donovan isn’t pulling any punches, insisting that Sunday’s League Cup defeat to Rangers was a “major disappointment” for the club. But he’s also making it clear: the squad is ready to flip the script and they know exactly what they owe the loyal supporters.
Bouncing Back From European Heartbreak
The sting from the Champions League exit is still fresh, and Donovan knows it. His side failed to progress to the Champions League group stage after surrendering a mind-boggling four-goal lead to LASK in Austria during the play-off second leg. Talk about a gut punch. That crushing defeat confirmed their place in the Europa League, with the home tie against Ferencvaros on Thursday marking their opening fixture of the league stage. “We know what happened in the Champions League, it’s not great for us,” Donovan admitted. “But we know the Europa League is a big competition.” He’s looking to build on his experience from last year in this competition, hoping the team can “go far and hopefully do better than we did last year.” The message is simple: they’ve taken their lumps, now it’s time to prove they belong.
The Bitter Taste of Rivalry And A Chance At Redemption
That brutal 3-0 loss to Rangers really hit hard. Donovan didn’t mince words, saying, “You never want to get beat off your fierce rivals. That’s not a Celtic team, that wasn’t us on Sunday.” He added that “it hurt a lot,” but the 20-year-old defender sees a silver lining in the quick turnaround. Being in Europe means a game every three days, which is a “good thing” because it offers a “chance to get back on track.” The team is taking “big ownership of what happened on Sunday,” recognizing they “weren’t at our best.” Now, the Ferencvaros game isn’t just another match, it’s “a huge game for us” and an opportunity to “repay the fans.” They want to “put a real marker down and get us building again.”
Donovan also has some personal momentum, having just gotten his first Scotland call-up from new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli. He’s “over the moon” and eager for the chance to represent his country, hoping Pocognoli “sees the real potential” in him. It’s a huge moment for the young player, and hopefully that fire carries over to the squad. Thursday’s clash against Ferencvaros is crucial, not just for Europa League standings, but to show the fans they’re still in the fight. After that, get ready for Rangers to visit Celtic Park this Sunday on league duty. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the team and the fans alike.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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