Nicky Hayen: "Satisfaction may prevail"
Blue-Black played another strong game, but still had to be satisfied with a draw against Celtic. Coach Hayen therefore sat with a somewhat double feeling.
"I think 1-1 was definitely a fair result," the coach began his analysis. "Based on the first half, I even thought we deserved the 3 points and based on the second half, no more. Then a draw is the right representation of the match." Club certainly did not have to undercut Celtic in terms of quality. "Absolutely not and I think we proved that in the first half. We played well between the lines and everything we asked for was executed. You get a deserved lead and you find the right solutions. In the second half it is just a little bit more difficult and we lose the ball just a little bit easier. This while in the first half our first ball after recovery was actually good every time and in the second half it wasn't. Then you see that the people get behind and they get a little more confidence and we find it harder to get out. Then their first best chance is also immediately a goal and then you know it becomes a kind of survival." With a win, though, Club could have made an excellent case in the standings. "It's a double feeling of course. If you look at how we played the first half, it's a shame. However, before the game we said that Celtic is not just an easy team to put aside either. They proved that in the second half, although we might have been able to put just a little bit higher pressure. They didn't really become dangerous, so I didn't want to take any risks by putting more pressure and giving away spaces that they do dive into. Then you might be left with zero points. So in the end I think that satisfaction should prevail," concluded a satisfied Bruges coach.
De Cuyper: "Creditable result, but there was more in it".
A strong Club Brugge stuck to a 1-1 draw at Celtic. De Cuyper felt afterwards that there was more in it. "It's unfortunate. I felt there was more in it. Our passing was also a bit better. But if we give that first pass after we recover the ball better, maybe we can win here." De Cuyper was also very close to Club Brugge's opening goal and even provoked it. "They try to play out of soccer and I feel a moment to put pressure. That works out well, but of course we are lucky that he shoots it into his own goal."
Blue-Black played a very solid game, but still lives with the feeling that there was more in it this evening. "I think we were a lot better in the first half, but they can keep more control of the match in the second half. We get a creditable result here, but there was more in it." On the sporting front, De Cuyper was left a little hungry, but playing at Celtic Park was an experience for the Red Devil. "It does something to you as a human being, to stand here. The shouting at the anthem was also impressive. It did something to me as well."