Callum McGregor spoke of Celtic being at a “crossroads” following their shock Viaplay Cup exit to Kilmarnock on Sunday.
The Hoops captain did not like what he witnessed from last season’s treble winners at Rugby Park, where Marley Watkins’ second-half goal sparked an unlikely post-mortem into Celtic’s last-16 demise.
Boss Ange Postecoglou left for Tottenham at the end of the season after completing the clean sweep and winger Jota and defender Carl Starfelt have also gone, while returning manager Brendan Rodgers was without Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Oh Hyeon-gyu for the trip to Ayrshire.
Rodgers gave a debut to Swedish defender Gustaf Lagerbielke alongside fellow new signing Maik Nawrocki, with a first start for summer recruit Odin Thiago Holm, while another new face, Yang Hyun-jun, came off the bench.
The exit from a cup competition Celtic have won six times in the last seven years stung McGregor, and the Scotland midfielder recalled a 1-0 cinch Premiership defeat at Livingston in September 2021 – a fourth loss in five games under Postecoglou which left them trailing leaders Rangers by four points, before they recovered to win the title and League Cup.
McGregor said: “We didn’t have enough quality. I think that was evident to see. We started hitting long passes, which is not us. I don’t mean good passes in terms of trying to play in behind, it was just sort of launching the ball and hoping for the best.
“That’s disappointing, that we don’t stick to the principles that we know work for us.
“It’s a massive reminder that in cup football if you don’t turn up on the day you have absolutely no right to think that you can just come and win games of football.
“Probably because our cup record has been so good that is what everyone thinks, that you just roll up and it happens. It never happens like that.
“Firstly we have to look internally, us as players. Did we do enough? The answer is no. We have to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t snowball into two results, three results, four results.
“We have to find the answers quickly and find a way to settle this new group of players. I think that is maybe what you get with a new group which is just at its infancy.
“I probably remember back to two years ago at this point, or slightly later, into September, when we lost at Livingston and it was much the same.
“Now we are at a crossroads in this group as well. We have lost a lot of key players, a lot of big players for us, so we have to find a new team.
“We have to find a settled team and then go back to the principles that make us a good team.
“You will get bad results and it’s how you handle that, how you stand up and be counted in the coming days and weeks.
“Again, it’s just reinforcing the work we are doing on the training ground. Trying to settle everybody as quickly as we can, settle into the pattern and the rhythm that we want to play.
“It’s just repetition in training and trying to find that balance really, really quickly.
“With this result we all have to realise that we have to go pretty quickly. It was similar at this point two years ago when we put ourselves under pressure.
“Now you have to react, you have to find something within yourself and within the team and within the group that sparks us into life. Because that’s what we need to do now.”
Lewandowski committed to Barcelona amid speculation over his future, says agent
Robert Lewandowski remains committed to Barcelona amid speculation over his future, with his agent refuting reports the Poland striker wants to leave.
Reports in Spain suggested Barcelona are considering the contract of 35-year-old Lewandowski as Xavi looks to bolster his attacking line-up after missing out on the LaLiga title to rivals Real Madrid.
Lewandowski's agent Pini Zahavi rubbished reports that he is set to meet with Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, however.
"This is nonsense," Zahavi told Polish journalist Tomasz Wlodarczyk, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
"He wants to play one more year in Catalonia. He has signed a contract for four years.
"It will depend on his performances in the 2024-2025 season and includes a clause that provides for the possibility of termination of the contract if Lewy does not play 55 per cent of the minutes."
Lewandowski once again leads Barcelona's scoring charts this term in LaLiga, having found the net 17 times in 31 appearances before Monday's meeting with Real Sociedad.
Barcelona will hope to leap back up to second in the Spanish top-flight standings with victory over La Real, currently trailing Girona by two points ahead of their game in hand.
Norwich City 0-0 Leeds United: Championship play-off finely poised for second leg
Norwich City and Leeds United could not be separated in a goalless draw in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final, leaving it all to play for at Elland Road.
Junior Firpo put the ball into the back of the net in the 30th minute, but it was ruled out for a marginal offside by Georginio Rutter in the build-up at Carrow Road.
Marcelino Nunez failed to take Norwich's best chance in the first half, firing wide of the left post after Leeds had an early penalty shout for a foul on Wilfried Gnonto by Borja Sainz dismissed by the referee.
The sides will meet again on Thursday at Elland Road for a winner-takes-all-decider and a place in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on May 26.
Data Debrief: Stalemate
Norwich have failed to score in a home game for the first time since December. It is also the first time they have failed to win an EFL play-off at home, winning both of the previous two by a 3-1 scoreline (vs Wolves in 2001-02 and Ipswich Town in 2014-15).
Leeds only attempted six shots in this game (two on target), their lowest total in a single match in the Championship this season.
Messi fury sees Martino call for MLS rules revision on injuries
Lionel Messi was left frustrated by being kept on the sidelines after an injury scare in Saturday's win over CF Montreal, with Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino calling for a revision of MLS rulings.
The former Barcelona superstar was visibly furious after being forced off temporarily from a George Campbell foul, with the Miami forward missing a chance to take a presentable free-kick opportunity.
New MLS regulations state players must leave the pitch for two minutes if the referee stops play due to a potential injury that leaves them on the ground for over 15 seconds.
Following the 3-2 triumph over Montreal, Martino questioned the ruling and suggested it punished the wrong party.
"There are situations that must be revised," the Herons boss said.
"In Leo's situation, he was clearly fouled. The player deserved a yellow card, which would mean Messi would've never left the field for two minutes.
"As I understand it, the team that suffered the foul was punished. With these new rule changes, some situations must be revised.
"The infraction was clear and was a yellow card, and ultimately it was us that lost Leo for two minutes."
Miami were left further aggrieved despite making it five straight wins to move three points clear at the Eastern Conference summit.
Luis Suarez failed to leave the pitch in under 10 seconds when replaced by Leo Campana in the 92nd minute, with new MLS regulations meaning the fourth official delayed the substitution for another minute.
"In the case of Suarez, we had a very important difference with the fourth referee in respect to the minute," Martino added.
"We thought Suarez exited the pitch in under a minute, he did not see it that way and so Leo Campana's entry to the game was delayed."
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