Callum McGregor and the Jack Grealish friendship that set both on path to stardom as Man City romp has Celtic skipper cheering

A decade ago they were a midfield partnership on loan at Notts County armed with nothing but teenage dreams and a desire to make it in football.

On Wednesday, one of them watched the other one produce a masterclass as Manchester City demolished Real Madrid to make the Champions League Final. The one who was looking on from his couch hasn’t done so badly either. Callum McGregor has pocketed 19 senior medals, five Trebles and is captain of Celtic. His mate, Jack Grealish, went from Aston Villa to City for £100million, is about to win the English title for the second year in a row and is heading to Istanbul for a Champions League Final showdown with Inter Milan.

It’s fair to say they’ve come a long way from the five months they spent together in League Two at Meadow Lane in 2013. And watching Grealish light up the Etihad on the European stage has only whetted McGregor’s appetite for the Champions League when it comes around again next term. “It was brilliant to see him do so well the other night,” McGregor said. “City’s football was outstanding. On a different level.

“A really high level performance and great to see Jack as a part of that as well. He was outstanding. I don’t speak to him as much any more. He’s probably forgotten about me right enough now he’s a superstar! But we always look out for results, I’m sure if you asked him the same he’d always keep an eye out as well.

“We had a really good time at Nottingham together so we’re always really fond of each other and hope that they do well. I’m pretty sure if you asked him the same question he would be similar.”

Celtic go straight into the group stage and the midfielder believes this season’s Champions League adventures against Real, Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Leipzig,