IF Celtic’s trouncing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain had a hint of déjà vu about it, Kieran Tierney insists there is comfort to be had from what happened next.
This time last year, the Hoops crashed to what was their heaviest-ever European defeat when they went down 7-0 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp – but bounced back with impressive home-and-away draws against Manchester City.
Last Tuesday, with Neymar in opposition, the Scottish champions were again undone by a combination of precision passing, pace and power, very reminiscent of the Catalans at their best.
“I think it’s hard to say if PSG were better than Barca, but they’re both up there as being the best,” said Tierney.
“They are different teams, but there are similarities.
“Neymar is now teamed up with Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe and, as with his combination with Messi and Suarez, you’d have to say together they make up probably the best front-three in the world.
“Take Mbappe. He is so quick, you think you know what he’s going to do, but you just can’t get to him.
“I suppose that’s why they are ready to pay so much money – £166 million – for someone so young.
“Overall, too, Paris are a world-class side, no doubt about it. They are arguably the best, and definitely the most-expensive, side out there.
“They don’t waste a ball. If it’s a high ball, we’d maybe look to get it clear, but they’d bring it down on the chest and play it.
“You look at Dani Alves. There’ll be a ball over the top and he’s close to me and he’s comfortable about taking it on the chest and passing it.
“If we tried to press them, their one and two-touch play was unbelievable. You think you’re going to get there and nick it, but they’re just touching it away and they’re on the break again.
“So it’s hard to come and play against. Even more so when it’s your first group game and you haven’t had time to settle in.
“Especially when, with all the money they have spent, there will have been pressure on them to put down a marker.
“But, as the manager said, regardless of who they are or what they’ve spent, the first half had to be better.
“It’s hard to pinpoint what went wrong early on. It’s not something we meant to do, we just didn’t play our best.”
“You saw in the second half – even though the two sucker punch goals kind of killed it – that we got higher and more in their faces.
“So we need to learn from it all and, hopefully, we will. It was a learning experience for us and we’ll need to be better next time.”
Which, as the Scotland internationalist argues, is what happened last year.
“After the poor start last year in Barcelona we bounced back with a good result against Man City. We need to aim for the same again, 100%. The boys know that.”
A good result indeed. In front of a packed Celtic Park, the Hoops took the lead three times only to be hauled back each time to end up with a 3-3 draw.
And, while they went down at home to Borussia Monchengladbach, they held the Germans away plus recorded a creditable draw in the return against City at the Etihad.
“It was a tough group and it is the same for us this year,” said Tierney.
“There are no easy games. Especially when you are coming in from Pot Four you know every one, home and away, is going to be tough.
“We have seen Paris, Bayern Munich are always strong and are off to a winning start and Anderlecht are a great team too.
“At this club you have to be looking to win every game and that is the mentality we have.”
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