Celtic could not have been safer in Kazakhstan last night if they had taken to the pitch in crash helmets, protective padding and layers of cotton wool. A 5-0 first leg win obliterates any genuine prospect of a team going out of Europe but it did not protect the Scottish champions from a surprisingly wild and turbulent passage to the Champions League group stage. At one point they were 4-1 down and reeling. Some records fell — their first defeat in any competition in 43 games stretching back to last November, their first, second, third and fourth goals conceded in Europe this season — but predictably they were the ones still standing when it was all over. For all the torrid spells when their undercooked defence was…

Source: The Times August 22, 2017 20:37 UTC