Celtic’s youngsters were handed a harsh lesson in the realities of top level football when they exited the Uefa Youth League following a penalty shoot-out defeat to Valencia last night.
The youngsters lost 4-3 to the Spanish side after leading for much of the regulation 90 minutes.
Fiftten-year-old Jack Aitchison had given the Parkhead side the lead and there were further chances for Celtic’s to add to their advantage.
But with just three minutes remaining, Ismael Martinez equalised for the Spanish side before the game headed to a penalty shoot-out after extra-time remained deadlocked.
Twice in the nail-biting shootout Celtic had chances to win it, but Aidan McIlduff and Fiacre Kelleher both failed to find the net.
And when Jamie McCart saw his spot-kick saved by Antonio Sivera in sudden death, it meant Valencia progressed to the quarter-finals.
To add insult to injury, Celtic had been angered by a decision in the closing stages of the game when they felt they deserved a penalty.
As the clock had ticked down in stoppage time, Aitchison was penalised for a foul on David Pascual as he prepared to run through on goal, even though the striker was nowhere near his opponent.
It was a decision that left the Celtic players and coaching staff perplexed and frustrated.
The decision was harder to bear as they ended up out of the competition following their defeat on penalty kicks but there was a feeling among the coaching staff that the youngsters had acquitted themselves admirably throughout the game.
However, it will be Valencia who progress to the last 16 of the prestigious competition and it is left now to Tommy McIntyre to rouse his young squad.
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