'Unbelievable' - Ange Postecoglou inspired by Celtic fans' reaction to Madrid mauling

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou maintains the thunderous reception accorded to him and his players by the club’s travelling support following their 5-1 defeat by Real Madrid will be the fuel to ignite in the Champions League next season.

And the Australian is unabashed that, after another encounter in which chances went abegging – including a penalty miss at 2-0, after Real had converted two such awards – Celtic’s outcomes will improve through staying true to their front-foot appraoch.

“Their support is unbelievable,” he said. “Obviously we’ve lost 5-1. I don’t think anyone enjoys that kind of defeat. Their reaction after the game was not just them trying to make us feel good, I think they can appreciate what the players are trying to do. That gives us, and certainly me, massive motivation to reward them. To make sure we qualify again next year and make sure we perform better and give them more moments like Jota’s tonight. Because that is what they deserve. That is the one disappointment. Ultimately I am responsible for the approach we have taken and how we have gone about things and I would have wanted to repay them for their support.”

Celtic fashioned 76 goal attempts across the six games that brought only three goals, and two points. Postecoglou said it is “not as simple” as saying by the law of averages they couldn’t enjoy such meagre returns again as if they remain able to threaten. “But I do believe that,” he said.

Celtic head coach Ange Postecoglou, right, and Real Madrid's counterpart Carlo Ancelotti greet each other before the start of their Champions League group match at the Bernabeu. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

“That’s why I want us to play the way we do. If we do that every year I think you gain more belief, you gain more trust in what we are doing. The players feel more like they belong at this level. We could have lost two-nil tonight, had one or two chances and it probably wouldn’t have looked as bad, and people would say ‘that’s not a bad result’.

"I just don’t think that is the way forward. I just don’t think that is how we are going to make an impact. We need to be a team that scores goals and be threatening against every opposition. There is no doubt in my mind that if we replicate those sort of numbers again next year we will score more goals.”