Celtic boss Neil Lennon believes his side’s 3-0 defeat to Juventus in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League last 16 clash was an unfair reflection on his team’s performance.
The Old Lady went ahead early, with Alessandro Matri putting them ahead in the third minute, before eventually scoring twice in the final 15 minutes through Claudio Marchisio and Mirko Vucinic to gain a healthy advantage for the return leg in Turin.
“The scoreline flatters Juventus. For 70-odd minutes we were by far the better side, but you can’t give away sloppy goals,” Lennon said.
“We had chances, really great chances, and some of the football was excellent. I don’t think there was three goals between the teams.”
Juve coach Antonio Conte admitted the Hoops were impressive but hailed his side’s ability to get the vital goals.
“My players were very good because Celtic exceeded their limits and it was not easy at all to resist their pressure,” Conte said.
“I congratulate Celtic for the game they played and for their spirit. Our second goal was excellent, a situation we have tried over and over again in training.”