Auston Trusty Explains How Aberdeen Draw Gave Celtic a “Wake-up Call” Before Atalanta Clash

Celtic centre-back Auston Trusty has explained how Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Aberdeen gave him and his teaMMAtes a wake-up call before last night’s hotly anticipated Champions League clash with Atalanta.

The Hoops showed elite defensive capabilities in the 0-0 stalemate, putting in a stout display that was worthy of a useful point.

Kasper Schmeichel was ever-present between the sticks, with Auston Trusty particularly standing out at centre-back.

The American silenced several of his – somewhat unfair – critics with a well-founded defensive performance.

Trusty took to Instagram post-match last night, thanking the travelling fans for their continued support.

He soon addressed the media, explaining how the weekend’s draw with the Dons was a blessing in disguise ahead of last night’s match: “This past weekend, we should have won that Game very easily, but we took the foot off the gas,” Trusty explained (The Celtic Way).

“It was an easy game in the first half, up 2-0, and then they ended up coming back. It’s almost kind of a blessing that that game happened because they woke us up.

“We need to go, every single moment, no matter what game it is, we’re playing these games at that certain level to prepare for these Champions League games. That’s just the mindset.

“It was kind of a wake-up call for us this weekend. We can’t take it easy because our mindset is for the Champions League games and we need to perform at this level.”

Trusty can feel hard done by not winning UEFA’s Champions League Player of the Match award in Bergamo last night.

It felt as though yesterday evening was the making of the 26-year-old in green and white.

Although he and his teaMMAtes will be enthused by securing a point away to last season’s Europa League winners, they must re-adjust their focus to the domestic scene, with back-to-back league Games against Motherwell and Dundee on the horizon.

Aberdeen then lie in wait in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals next weekend before the Bhoys can even think about Europe again.