Chris Sutton Defends Celtic’s Champions League Result with Man U Comparison

Celtic faced a harsh reality check in the Champions League, suffering a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.

The result sharply contrasted with the optimism following their initial victory over Slovan Bratislava. Despite the disappointment, Celtic’s performance has been put into perspective by former player Chris Sutton, especially in light of criticisms from Robbie Savage about Scottish football’s competitiveness on the European stage.

During a debate on BBC 606, Savage pointed to Celtic’s History of heavy losses in Europe, questioning their performance against top-tier teams. However, Sutton defended Celtic by highlighting the financial disparities between Scottish clubs and their wealthier European counterparts. He argued that Celtic’s budget is significantly lower than that of clubs in Europe’s top five leagues, which fundamentally impacts their ability to comPete at the highest level.

Sutton used Manchester United as a comparison, noting their vast spending yet underwhelming results in the Europa League to underscore his point about resource constraints. He stressed that judgments about Celtic’s European campaign should be reserved until after all group matches are played, emphasizing that their win against Bratislava should not be overlooked.

Debating on the radio show, Savage said: “So, Celtic in Europe, Christopher, what, what goes around? Listen they have lost heavily to Basel, they have lost heavily to Dortmund, they do lose heavily to the top teams in European football, but you can’t get a pitch seven.

“TNS went to Fiorentina and only lost two.”

Sutton argued back: “All you’re doing is, it’s an easy attack, isn’t it, on Scottish Football. Why don’t you attack Manchester United, Rob?

“Six hundred million. Just imagine, just imagine if Celtic and Rangers could spend six hundred million on players in three years and put in insipid performances. I’m just saying Scottish teams don’t have the spending power.

“So you’re using one Game. I noticed you didn’t say anything about Celtic when they won the first Game.

“Why didn’t you judge Celtic and Rangers after eight Games?”

This defense puts Celtic’s struggles in a broader context, acknowledging the challenges Scottish clubs face in balancing financial limitations with competitive aspirations in Europe.