Kyogo Furuhashi insists Celtic must show collective class on their Champions League travels.
And the Japanese striker wants his team to do some serious talking on the pitch when they get off the plane to rejoin Europe’s elite. Kyogo and his colleagues return to the cut-throat elite competition when they head to Italy to face Atalanta. If the challenge against the quickfire Serie A outfit in the Gewiss Stadium isn’t tough enough, painful memories from their last troubled trip must also be exorcised.
Having slaughtered Slovan Bratislava on home soil in their opening encounter in this term’s competition, hopes were sky high heading to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund for night two. However, savage events in the Signal Iduna Park brought Celtic crashing back to earth. From a 5-1 win to a 7-1 defeat, it was torturous and Brendan Rodgers’ side now face another extreme examination against the current Europa League title holders.
The striker spent time in the peace of Mull after taking a trip during the international break, but it’ll be frantic in Italy. Kyogo believes in the squad to handle the situation, but reckons the team togetherness has to be spot on in Bergamo from start to finish to create a unified force. Celtic were not compact enough against Borussia and were picked off.
Looking ahead to the Italian test, Kyogo said: “We know it is going to be difficult. So whoever is playing from the start has to play together, link together, attack together, defend together and we have to perform very well because, obviously, the opponents are a very good team, so we just have to prepare well.
“Rather than talk about what we should do and what we can do, it’s about on the pitch. So we have to perform and show to everyone that this is what we can do and we have to show it ourselves.”
Kyogo’s contrasting fortunes through the opening Euro two matches of the campaign have mirrored that of his team. On opening night, he struck against the Slovaks and had other chances to add to his tally as Celtic swaggered.
But, in Dortmund, he was barely sighted as his team were swamped. From emphatic triumph to crushing loss, it was a brutal changing of the emotions and typified the extreme nature of competition at the highest level of the club game.
Now there’s a chance for the Parkhead troops to get themselves back onto the positive and also an opportunity for the hitman to break a duck of his own on the road. Kyogo has scored three goals in this stage of the Champions League since moving to Celtic, but all have come in Glasgow against Lazio, Atletico Madrid and Slovan.
Despite scoring on the road in the Europa League for previous boss Ange Postecoglou, he has yet to net abroad in the elite tournament. Bergamo offers an eighth opportunity and he goes into it having bagged a fourth goal in five games when hitting the second against Aberdeen.
Kyogo made the first for Reo Hatate and then was on hand to gobble up the scraps when his compatriot’s shot was blocked to double Celtic advantage. However, although involved in the two goals which put his team in control of the top-of-table contest against the Reds, there was frustration that he could not take the opportunities to finish it off.
Rodgers’ team were punished by losing two goals and two points in the second-half and Kyogo said: “It was a good chance that I could create and Reo could score. Otherwise, I could also get [more] goals. However, in the second half, I had two chances where I could have scored as well which ended up not going into the net. That’s something I need to improve as well, so I just have to keep working hard for that.”
As well as being unable to strike again during the second period against Aberdeen, there were alarm bells ringing in the way the backline was cut open. Rodgers was hugely disappointed in the fact a failure to be aggressive without the ball allowed the Reds chances to get beyond his team.
The manager said “We got punished for being careless in that 10-minute period. Around about that 50th minute, 60th minute, a little bit passive, without the ball, lacked aggression. And when you play how we play, if you don’t have that, then there’s a space in behind. And they finished it well.”
Given the attacking intent and speed of Atalanta, Celtic are going to have to get that aspect right. Borussia were able to take huge advantage when Rodgers’ side didn’t get it spot-on and the warnings for Bergamo were crystal clear against the Dons.
With Cameron Carter-Vickers battling to be back for the game, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty could again have the main backline jobs with Alex Valle once more having to deputise for the injured Greg Taylor. Rodgers’ midfield boys will have to protect in periods and, when they get their chances against Atalanta, Celtic will have to be ruthless.
That typical killer instinct eluded the champions at the weekend after Aberdeen made it 2-2 with some opportunities to clinch maximum points going begging, as well as heroic blocks and strong goalkeeping.
Kyogo admitted: “We had the chances as a team and also for myself. So what we need to do is work out how we can pass these kinds of walls to try and score. We need to have a good picture and the same ideas on how to break through.”