Match report as Celtic lose 6-0 to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League; Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata both scored in each half; Daizen Maeda was sent off for Celtic; Samuel Lino and Saul Niguez also scored for the hosts; Celtic are bottom of Group E on one point
Celtic knew a result against the LaLiga side was vital to leave them with a chance of progressing in the competition before Christmas, but Antoine Griezmann’s early opener left them with a mountain to climb.
Their night continued to go downhill when Daizen Maeda was sent off following a VAR check for a challenge on Mario Hermoso before Alvaro Morata doubled the lead before the break.
Griezmann and Morata both scored again in the second half, either side of Samuel Lino’s stunning strike just minutes after he came off the bench. Saul Niguez added a sixth late on.
Atletico remain unbeaten and sit top of Group E while the Hoops are bottom with just one point from four games.
Brendan Rodgers picked the same team that played the bulk of the 2-2 draw with Atletico two weeks ago. That meant Paulo Bernardo came in for David Turnbull, who had scored in each of Celtic’s last two league games.
Griezmann started in midfield and opened the scoring in the sixth minute after Celtic twice put themselves under pressure.
Joe Hart sliced a punch clear under no pressure following a corner and Callum McGregor headed a poor clearance straight to Griezmann.
The Frenchman shot from 20 yards and a deflection off Cameron Carter-Vickers took the ball out of Hart’s reach and into the bottom corner.
Palma forced a save with what would prove Celtic’s only effort on goal as they tried to respond and McGregor soon saved his side by blocking from Rodrigo Riquelme following a counter-attack.
The red card soon followed. Maeda left a foot dangling as he went in for a 50-50 challenge with Mario Hermoso, who rolled around on the floor after being caught on the shin as he followed through.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone and six or seven of his backroom staff raced off the bench after the incident, sparking an angry reaction from Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers when the referee was called to his monitor.
Rodgers was booked for dissent as Simeone dragged one of his colleagues back from confronting the Celtic boss.
Although Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved brilliantly from Morata’s sliced clearance, the rest of the game was an exercise in defending for Celtic.
Griezmann, twice, and Nahuel Molina threatened before the France international’s diagonal ball exposed Celtic in first-half stoppage time. Jose Maria Gimenez headed across goal for Morata to slide in and convert from close range.
The onslaught continued, even before the interval, when Hart saved from Angel Correa.
Rodgers brought on Oh Hyeon-gyu for Palma at half-time as he maintained his 4-3-2 formation throughout.
Griezmann continued to threaten on regular occasions and Gimenez headed off the bar before the Frenchman netted with a scissors kick on the hour mark after meeting Alistair Johnston’s headed clearance.
Substitute Lino took a step inside Johnston and curled in a brilliant fourth six minutes later.
Correa hit a post before Morata took a touch on the edge of the box and lashed a shot into the roof of the net in the 76th minute.
Celtic finished the game with a midfield of Turnbull, Odin Thiago Holm and Tomoki Iwata and they lost a scrappy goal in the 84th minute when Niguez finished from close range.
Their heaviest European defeat had come in Spain under Rodgers seven years ago and Atletico could not emulate that 7-0 victory amid further pressure.
Source skysports
