Davie Hay: Curtain call for Celtic but staying undefeated twice against Manchester City proves Celtic have quality to be in the Euro zone

It was great being down for the game, even better that Celtic managed to take something from the game, and more than just a result.

Manchester City management, players and fans will have seen their multi-million pound ‘teams’ (and as Tuesday proved, they have more than one) twice play the Scottish champions, and not record a win against them.

No mean achievement, and even though it was another draw, for me it was another marker as to where this Celtic team under Brendan Rodgers is.

From the start of the Group Stages, there has been progression and an improvement in the level for performance.

That first game in Barcelona was a real hammering and Celtic did, being brutally honest, look out of place, out of their comfort zone.

I don’t think that could have been levelled again at them in any of the remaining matches.

The Barca games aside, and be honest, with the talent that they have at their disposal, beating them is like trying to throw a double-six to beat the other guy when has three dice! It can be done, but not very often.

For me, the most disappointing result was at home to Borussia Monchengladbach. The performance was reasonable; it was just they were no match for a very impressive German outfit and that result ultimately cost Brendan Rogers and everyone connected to the club, European football in to 2017.

But while there may not have been a lot to show for their efforts in terms of points, Celtic made massive strides during the competition.

From looking lost and bewildered in the Nou Camp, Celtic finished at The Etihad looking assured, confident, and above all else, completely comfortable in that company and environment.

Forget this ‘City reserves tag.’ Sane, Navas, a few others, would waltz in to the vast majority of teams in England and across Europe.

There were some interesting performances for Celtic on the night, which were, all part of the shake-up under Brendan, who was entitled to take positives from this campaign.

To score against his parent club will have only endeared Patrick Roberts to Pep Guardiola. The boy has shown he has what it takes, and, that he wanted to prove it in front of his own manager and support.

Roberts has been struggling to get a look in because of how well James Forrest has been playing.

But the goal he scored, and the way he took it, drifting in from the right and showing no sign of panic as he stroked the ball home, shows he has something special.

He is a useful member of the squad. The big thing for me is waiting to see how things might pan out in the summer when his loan deal comes to an end.

The ball is in the court of Manchester City and Guardiola, because I fancy if the chance came, Roberts would come back to Celtic on loan again. I just don’t see it being a permanent deal, given the monies involved.

Gary Mackay-Steven is another who has been watching on from the fringes, but I thought he also responded well to being given a run against City.

If he needs any inspiration or encouragement, it has to come from his former Dundee United team-mate Stuart Armstrong, who has persevered and listened to the manager’s instructions, and is now, a regular in the squad.

But the player who impressed me most, and has all season, and optimised that change in culture and attitude in this team is the skipper, Scott Brown.

Maybe it’s an age thing; maybe maturity and experience have kicked in. Maybe it is the fact that he is now as fit as he has been in ages. I know as a player, when I was without injury and at my fittest, I’d back myself against anyone because I honestly believed I could run past or through anything. You can see that air of confidence in Scott Brown, and it has been there all season.

Not bad for someone who was supposed to have been on his last legs at the tail end of last season.

Getting fit is one thing. But having a manager who believes in you, as a player and a leader, gives you such a lift. And Brown is on a high right now – like Celtic.

For me, the disappointment of going out of Europe, with no Europa League either, is that we won’t see how this current squad, with a few more addition I have no doubt, might have kicked on in to the New Year. Next season seems a long way off.

On a positive, Celtic are still riding high in the SPFL Premiership and just keep winning. The bonus is, those directly beneath them keep taking points off each other, which eases what little pressure there might be.

Partick Thistle don’t have a great record against Celtic over the last few seasons, but it does come just a few days after the Manchester trip. Even then, Celtic I fancy have too much strength in depth for the Jags.