13 months have now handed since Celtic had their hearts damaged in Munich – a gut-wrenching Champions League evening, however one which was hoped to be the launchpad for an formidable new period.
Little over a yr later, the unthinkable prospect of the Parkhead membership ending third in their very own home league is changing into extra sensible with every week.
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Poor recruitment on the pitch and within the dugout from an under-fire board has been the well-documented supply of fury for a disgruntled fanbase.
However what do the numbers inform us about this galling 13-month decline?
Since exiting the Champions League to Bayern, Celtic have received simply 54% of their matches over 90 minutes, struggling 16 defeats underneath Brendan Rodgers, Martin O’Neill and Wilfried Nancy.
Eight of these losses have come within the Scottish Premiership this season alone – greater than previously two campaigns put collectively and the primary time since 1999-00 they’ve misplaced as many video games in a league season.
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Within the failed bid to win a historic tenth successive title in 2020-21, Celtic misplaced 5 league matches. This time period, they’ve misplaced greater than Hearts and Rangers mixed, three greater than Motherwell and yet one more than Hibernian.
They would wish to attain 56 instances of their last seven league fixtures to match final season’s 112-goal tally. They’re additionally 17 factors worse off than they had been after 31 matches and have shipped 14 extra objectives.
But, remarkably, they’re nonetheless in with a shot on the title. they should win “no less than 5 – 6” of their last seven. they should win all of them. On present proof, that appears unrealistic.
With video games operating out, the sobering thought for a membership that posted money reserves of virtually £70m in December is that they might be nearer to fourth than first by the point they subsequent kick a ball.