Brendan Rodgers accused his defenders of failing to do the basics after Celtic’s Champions League dream crashed and burned in Athens on Tuesday night.
Their hopes of reaching the group stages for a third straight season collapsed as AEK’s Rodrigo Galo and Marko Livaja struck in each half to render Scott Sinclair’s late header a mere consolation in a 3-2 aggregate triumph for the Greeks.
Rodgers took issue with Dedryck Boyata’s claim earlier in the day that he couldn’t play as he was injured – and felt his presence may have made a difference on the night.
Brendan Rodgers was critical of Celtic’s defensive display in defeat by AEK Athens
But after watching Jozo Simunovic and Jack Hendry wilt in the Athens heat, the Celtic boss claimed the display of those defenders who were available was unacceptable.
‘There have been elements I’ve seen over the course of pre-season where we’ve conceded,’ he said.
‘Against Livingston, a soft goal. Against Alashkert, a soft goal. Against Hearts, we’ve given away a goal and over these two legs, too.
‘We haven’t been opened up and had fantastic goals scored against us. It’s been about concentration and basic defending.
‘So it’s hard for me to get my head around it.
‘We just have to go away and work with the players that we have, to try and improve and make them better.
‘I always say you shouldn’t have to lose to learn. But when you do lose you have to learn.
Rodgers’ side failed to make the Champions League group stage for a third season in a row
‘So that’s our message and we’ll go back on to the training field on Wednesday and try to improve.’
Lamenting the fact his side couldn’t take more of the string of chances they created over the two legs, Rodgers added: ‘My view of the tie is that we had control of the first leg and failed to take our opportunities.
‘Then tonight we lost concentration for the goals. Apart from that we had no real concern in the game but AEK will be happy.
‘I was pleased with the overall performance, just not the result. Over the two games the best team won through because we didn’t defend well enough.
‘When you draw away from home and win at home you deserve to go through.’
The Boyata saga took a bizarre twist early on Tuesday when the Belgian took to social media to insist he hadn’t simply downed tools at Celtic.
Out of contract next summer and the subject of failed bids from Fulham, Fenerbahce and Olympiakos, he didn’t travel to Greece for the game.
Rodgers’ consoles his team after they crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday night
Frustrated at what he believed were broken promises by Celtic to sell his client in this window, Boyata’s agent Jacques Lichenstein turned up at Lennoxtown last Friday seeking talks with Rodgers before claiming the player would effectively go on strike as he wouldn’t risk injury by playing.
Pressed on Monday over the official reason for Boyata’s no-show in Athens, Rodgers refused to be drawn on the matter but made it plain that his sympathies lay with the player’s team-mates because the team was weakened in his absence.
But the Belgian World Cup star further muddied the waters by posting a video yesterday which showed him receiving treatment to his back and thigh. He described it as a ‘muscular work session to come back even stronger on the pitch’.
The 27-year-old said on Instagram: ‘Unfortunately, I could not play because I’m not yet 100 per cent operational.’ Boyata also told Belgian website DH.be: ‘When I hear I’ve refused to play since I came back from vacation, it’s wrong.
‘Last Thursday, I hurt myself when I slipped in training and I held my leg immediately.
‘The physio saw it and examined me right after the session. I put ice for 30 minutes on my leg and, the next day, I specified I had pains.
‘The exams proved I could not play against Hearts and, since then, I’m doing everything I can to be ready as quickly as possible.’ After last night’s match, however, Rodgers flatly refuted those claims.
Asked to clarify Boyata’s situation, he replied: ‘He was fit. We were missing our two best centre halves, unfortunately.
‘My concentration until I get back is only with the players who were here. But, yeah, Dedryck would have been fit to play.
AEK Athens won 3-2 on aggregate to ensure Celtic failed to qualify for the Champions League
‘Is that frustrating? Yeah, because he’s been with us over the course of our journey for a couple of years.
‘We got to this position and were without someone of his quality. Having a World Cup semi-finalist in our team would certainly have helped. But he wasn’t here.’
Celtic will now face Suduva of Lithuania in the Europa League play-off round, with the first leg taking place away from home next Thursday.
Asked if the loss of Champions League prestige and money could have implications for potential incomings and outgoings in his squad, Rodgers said: ‘In the two seasons I’ve been at the club, we’ve qualified for the Champions League and it was just a step too far for us this season.
‘We now have a play-off game for the Europa League and we have to ensure we have European football.
‘But right now the only thing in my thinking is the way we’ve gone out of the Champions League.’