Celtic’s quest to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League is well and truly on.
This newly revamped Champions League format has worked in Celtic’s favour and they displayed that against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night.
Rather than having to play the same opponents twice, you are now drawn up against eight different opponents from four different pots.
It has seemingly made things more even and provided those teams who have struggled in the past with the chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.
Brendan Rodgers’ side certainly fell into that boat because they took their game to another level in Europe on Tuesday night.
Celtic’s win over RB Leipzig was deserved, but most importantly it was dominant as well as controlled, with the second-half performance one of the best you will see from the champions of Scotland.
But it wasn’t an easy ride early on, especially when the away side opened the scoring, with Joe Hart sharing what he noticed.
Joe Hart praises Nicolas Kuhn for remaining ‘calm’ when Celtic were ‘rattled’ against RB Leipzig
There came a period, in and around when the German side scored, that the home team were under pressure and questions were being asked of them.
Hart felt Celtic were ‘rattled’ at that stage, but it was Nicolas Kuhn who remained ‘calm’ and ‘controlled’ for his side when he had the ball, as he told TNT Sport.
That’s when Kuhn showcased his magic by equalising with a brilliant curling effort before adding his second just before the break.
Hart added that the German, who was on Leipzig’s books as a youngster, was ‘gliding’ around Parkhead.
“So calm, so controlled he looks in possession, when this Celtic team has been rattled, Nicolas Kuhn doesn’t,” said Hart. “He looks like he is playing his own game.
“Drfits inside, a good run from Engels. Is it a cross or is it a shot, we are going to talk to him after, aren’t we? He is putting in that dangerous area. Engles opens up the space. Feeds it in, from the moment that left his foot it felt in. Gulacsi is clutching. You know when you are in goal and that ball is out of your reach. It’s absolutely perfect.
Hart then added: “Nicolas Kuhn is gliding around Celtic Park tonight. It’s such good football from Celtic.”
Nicolas Kühn scores an absolute beauty against his former club 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/6McJbanP2l
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2024
Kuhn’s stats for Celtic against Leipzig
When Matt O’Riley left Celtic for Brighton in the summer, a big figure headed for the exit door.
But if you watch the performances from Celtic this season, then it’s like he never left because of players like Kuhn taking their game to the next level.
WhoScored rated his performance against Leipzig at a whopping 8.79, which is serious business, but most importantly, it’s very much deserved.
