Some Celtic fans are bitterly disappointed that towering defender Christopher Jullien started for the club in their recent loss to Cluj in the UEFA Europa League group stage game on Thursday.
Jullien did start at centre-back, playing alongside Nir Bitton at the back. Despite the 2-0 defeat in Romania, the club still finished at the top and they will finish there for the first time in history. It was also the first defeat of the season for the club in the European competition.
Celtic fans: Should Jullien have started against Cluj?
He deserved a rest!
We needed him!
Some Hoops fans are very disappointed that Jullien played and feel he should’ve been rested.
Announce the real team without Jullien
— michael. (@VLR) December 12, 2019
Do they not realize he’s one booking away from being suspended for the Round of 32?!?!?
— Yankee1057O (@Yankee1057O) December 12, 2019
I would of rested big Jullien as well. He’s pivotal to our defence
— Gazzarinho (@gazzarinho1) December 12, 2019
Why is Julien playing? One booking away from suspension.
— David Rose (@drosejr) December 12, 2019
Do not pass the ball to Jullien keep him safe
— Paddy B (@PaddyB1988) December 12, 2019
Rest big Jullien no?
— Bierman (@CamBierman) December 12, 2019
So far this season, Jullien has played 26 times in all competitions for the Hoops. During this time, he has scored thrice. One of those goals came this past weekend, helping the club win the League Cup final by beating Rangers 1-0 at Hampden Park. It was their 19th League Cup title in history.
In the Europa League, Jullien has played all of the six games for the Hoops. He has scored one goal and it came in the club’s 2-1 win over Lazio earlier in the season. He has now established a very impressive defensive pairing with Kristoffer Ajer at the back.
The Frenchman joined Celtic this past summer from Toulouse for a fee of £7m and he became the club’s second-most expensive signing. At Toulouse, Jullien had played 34 times in Ligue 1, scoring once.
What do we think?
A potential yellow card for Jullien could have seen him get suspended from the first round of the knockout stages. Nil Lennon did take a risk and it didn’t pay off. Jullien was being expected to be the marshaller of the defence, but it didn’t really have the desired impact.