STAND-IN Celtic captain Cameron Carter-Vickers has urged his team mates not to get downhearted by their failure to qualify for the Champions League last 16 and to focus on reaching the Europa League knockout rounds instead.
The Scottish champions’ 2-0 loss to RB Leipzig at Parkhead on Tuesday night - coupled with Shakhtar Donetsk’s 1-1 draw with holders Real Madrid in Warsaw - means they can no longer finish in the top two in Group F.
However, Ange Postecoglou’s team can still finish third in their section if they defeat Shakhtar at home later this month and beat or draw with Real away next month.
Centre half Carter-Vickers, who has donned the skipper’s armband in the absence of the injured Callum McGregor, believes Celtic should not be despondent and can go through to the Europa League preliminary knockout round if they improve up front.
“For large parts of the Leipzig match we played really well and we created chances,” he said. “But we couldn’t take any and at this level if you can’t take your chances then you get punished.
“I think we are close, close to picking up results at this level. It is a big learning curve for us and we need to keep working hard. Hopefully we will get there.
“Playing against the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, can only improve you. It can only improve you as an individual and as a squad as well.
“We still have two games left. We want to go out there and recreate the performances we have produced so far, but obviously try and get that goal. Like I said, I think we are close. It is just that final little bit that is missing.
“The manager had the feeling that most of us had on Tuesday night – that we competed, played well for large parts of the game and had our chances. He was disappointed like us that we weren’t able to get a result.
“We have got to keep believing as long as it is possible. We have got two games left and we will go into them trying to get the points that we need to finish third.”
Postecoglou was without Carl Starfelt, McGregor and Jota in the rematch with Leipzig on Tuesday night, but Carter-Vickers, who has just returned from an injury himself, is confident Celtic have the strength in depth they need to do well in the Shakhtar and Real games.
“I am fit and I am ready to play,” he said. “I was only out for two weeks so it wasn’t too long. I am getting back into it now. It was a knee injury.
“Maybe the schedule is affecting us. But it is part of football, injuries can happen at any time. Whether you have got two games a week or one game a week, injuries happen.
“But I think as a squad we have got a good enough and a big enough squad to deal with those type of things.”
Carter-Vickers added: “I have enjoyed playing with Moritz (Jenz) and Stephen (Welsh). I enjoy playing with all the centre backs here, they are all good players.
“With centre back pairings, the more you play together the more you get to know each other and the partnership improves.
“Like I was saying, we have got a big squad with a load of big players and we are confident in the squad’s ability. I think we will show that.”
United States internationalist Carter-Vickers admitted he has been proud to take over from McGregor as captain in the games against St Johnstone and Leipzig.
“It is an honour,” he said. “It is a massive club, it is Celtic. To be leading the boys out means a lot to me.”
