Extraordinary Celtic ripped up Champions League script and here is what I would say to the doom merchants - Chris Sutton

Celtic have suffered so many Champions League disappointments in opening games I could have cut and pasted some of the columns afterwards. That’s why it’s nice to be able to rip up the script this time.

You know the doom merchants will be quick to write Slovan Bratislava off as duds, but don’t forget they beat Midtjylland on the way and earned the right to play at this level. Sure, they might be the lowest ranked team in the competition and it was a match Celtic were expected to win. But few will have expected the manner of the victory the other night. Bratislava didn’t look great – but a lot of that was down to the way Celtic played.

And that is why Brendan Rodgers’s side can look forward to the rest of the group stage with optimism. Listen, I’m not one to get carried away. I don’t think anyone at Celtic will either. There are huge tests ahead and there will be times they will need to weather the storm. Yet you look at this team and there is a genuine belief they can do something this season.

I’m not saying they will make the top eight and go straight into the last 16. We still have to be realistic. But finishing in the top 24 and reaching the play-off round? Why not? The door is open. If they hadn’t won the other night it would have been a different story. They would have been up against it, right from the off. Instead they didn’t just win. They won in some style and it will have turbo charged the mood in the camp.

Celtic have made an extraordinary start to the season, in Scotland, and now in Europe. The challenge is now to maintain it. I’ve said often enough, when it comes to the Champions League, fans would as well just turn up 20 minutes before kick-off to get the atmosphere and then leave when the first whistle