Apart from an injury to Nir Bitton, Celtic’s clash with Barcelona in Dublin appeared to be a qualified success.
Jumping on a plane, even for a 30 minute journey, on the back of a return trip to Kazakhstan isn’t recommended but is essential in the current climate.
After starting the match with close to his first choice XI Brendan Rodgers got the chance to assess the majority of his squad against the best opposition in the business.
Although Barcelona also made wholesale changes it was a very worthwhile exercise to see how Rodgers’ fringe players compared with their Catalan counterparts while Jamie McCart and Anthony Ralston were given a priceless taste of the standards they must strive for.
When Astana visit Celtic Park on Wednesday night Rodgers will stick closely to the players that earned a 1-1 draw in the first leg but as he demonstrated in Kazakhstan the Celtic boss likes to make to use his squad to the full with all three first leg substitutes making an impact.
Kristoffer Ajer and Eoghan O’Connell probably didn’t feature highly in Rodgers plans when he arrived at Celtic but both players have taken their chance to push forward their claims for a first team place.
CLICK HERE to view the gallery of four unlikely successes from Celtic’s trip to Dublin.
NADIR’S ON FIRE?
From the first minute of the second half Ciftci looked determined to make an impact on the match and an impression on Brendan Rodgers.
Last season’s square peg in a round hole looked an entirely different proposition although his free kick in the closing minutes is best forgotten.
The scowl, snarl and hunched shoulders of last season have been replaced with a leaner look, a striker with a point to prove. Some game time alongside Leigh Griffiths could be productive.
CELTIC’S LEO
Starting his sixth season at the club Leo Fasan has kept under the radar of most supporters.
With Logan Bailly out injured the 21-year-old Italian is next in line should anything happen to Craig Gordon.
Fasan has yet to play in a competitive match or go out on loan but looked perfectly at home behind a makeshift defence against Barcelona.
His positional sense and shot stopping came straight from the Goalkeeping Manual, if Bailly returns to fitness Fasan could benefit from a season long loan getting his gloves dirty enjoying first team football.
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ALLAN THE KEY?
Like Ciftci it has to be taken in context but Scott Allan certainly looked the part rubbing shoulders with the emerging talents from the Nou Camp.
From the start of the second half he showed a willingness to get on the ball, hold possession and push the ball forwards.
Breaking into the first XI won’t be any easier this season but the former Hibs midfielder appears to have found a kindred spirit in Brendan Rodgers who likes to see the ball getting used through the midfield.
It’s highly unlikely that Allan will develop into the playmaker he was at Hibs but yesterday’s performance will have given Brendan Rodgers some options to think over.
LAST CHANCE FOR IZZY?
With Kieran Tierney well established as the first choice left-back Emilio Izaguirre had plenty to prove against Barca and demonstrated that he can have an important role in the season ahead.
It’s hard to think of a player starting his seventh season as having something to prove but at the end of last season it looked like it was all over for the popular Honduran.
Against Barcelona the 30-year-old concentrated on his defensive work and looked the part. As a squad man he can fill in at left full-back or wing-back.