Celtic's crowd control conundrum: Players know they must find balance in heat of Champions League battle

Yes, Celtic have been competitive at spells in their two Champions League outings – a far cry from the one-sided beatings from the not-too-distant past – but the outcome remains the same. Two defeats later and the much longed-for place in the last 16 again resembles a mirage, forever tantalisingly out of reach.

This was Johnston’s home debut in this tournament – “something you can knock off the bucket list” – but he has quickly established what differentiates these challenges from the more humdrum encounters Celtic tend to face while undertaking their domestic chores. Turning over possession 35 yards from goal in a league match would usually lead to little of consequence. On this occasion, however, Lazio punished them in devastating fashion.

“Teams are ruthless and clinical,” observed Johnston. “If you give up a half-chance, which potentially you might get away with in the Scottish Premiership, then you won’t get away with it here. That’s something we just need to be smarter with. I feel there were really good spells for us, especially in the second half when we looked really comfortable. But we also need to find a way to win that game. We’ve gained quite a bit of respect but at the same time we don’t just want respect. We want points on the board.”

Celtic Park can concoct an ear-splitting din on nights like this, the fans cajoling their favourites to plough forward relentlessly in search of goals. Johnston, while appreciative of that backing, acknowledged that sometimes Celtic need to be guided more by tactics and not by the audio soundtrack. Was there an element of naivety to their play? “It could be harsh (to say that) but at the same time it’s not far off,” he conceded. “It’s finding that balance when you have this crowd, who are such an instrumental part of how we play and who can be such a weapon – how do we use that to our advantage? Sometimes you need to balance it. We’re in the ascendancy, can we find a winner? But at the same time that doesn’t mean going forward at all costs and conceding one at the back.”

Celtic have displayed no semblance of an inferiority complex against either Feyenoord or Lazio, perhaps as a result of their growing confidence or a sign that this isn’t a Champions League group stacked with the elite of the European game. The message to the players from manager Brendan Rodgers is to play every match as equals, even if that aggressive mentality sometimes comes at a cost.

“If you’re going to come out here with that mentality where you’re worried about making a mistake then you’re going to get punished for it,” added Johnston. “You’re going to play too timidly and let the other team dictate the ball. The gaffer has been very clear that we’ve got to go toe to toe with these teams, be brave and show what we’re all about. And I think we have the quality there to do that. Sometimes you’re going to get burned but we want to walk off the pitch with our heads held high having left it all out there.”