Celtic 0-3 Roma: Wilfried Nancy’s horror begin to life in Glasgow goes on as Brighton loanee Evan Ferguson hits double in Europa humiliation

After so many bizarre headlines and so much scrutiny on his choice of footwear over recent days, Wilfried Nancy could have done without this. Roma turned up in Glasgow and stuck the boot into Celtic’s new manager.

This was a horror show from Celtic. Comprehensively outplayed all over the pitch, they were 3-0 down by half-time and were lucky it wasn’t five or six. An absolute shoeing, good and proper.

There was a marginal improvement in the second half but, by then, the damage was done. Roma were in cruise control and had long since taken their foot off the gas.

Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson helped himself to a brace. A powerful presence who took his chances brilliantly when they came along, Ferguson terrorised his international team-mate Liam Scales.

Celtic could yet salvage something from this Europa League campaign. Still on seven points with games to come against Bologna and FC Utrecht, qualification for the knockouts is not beyond them.

But their prospects under Nancy look bleak. So, so very bleak. The Frenchman joked in the build-up to this match about having bags under his eyes, something remarked on by his mother.

Well, the sleepless nights are likely to continue for some time yet. This was a performance which does nothing for Celtic’s confidence heading into Sunday’s League Cup final against St Mirren at Hampden.

If anything, it should embolden the Buddies. Whilst St Mirren won’t have the same guile as Roma, the manner in which Celtic were ripped apart should cause serious alarm.

So, too, should Nancy’s stubbornness. He left his team brutally exposed down the flanks, something which Gian Piero Gasperini’s side preyed on relentlessly during the first half.

After all the noise that came on the back of the 2-1 defeat to Hearts last weekend, Nancy stuck to his guns and named an unchanged line-up. His reward? Becoming the first Celtic manager to lose his first two matches in charge.

Even this early in his tenure, it is clear that the Frenchman will not be swayed by critics or the fact that very few of his players are accustomed to the new 3-4-2-1 system.

Roma arrived in the east end looking to make it a double in Glasgow after beating Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox just over a month ago.

Gasperini’s side have faltered slightly since then on the domestic front, losing their last two matches in Serie A and slipping from top spot down to fourth.

There was a minute’s applause prior to kick-off in memory of Dixie Deans after he sadly passed away earlier this week at the age of 79.

Once the action got under way, it didn’t take long for Roma to assert their authority. With only six minutes on the clock, the Italians took the lead.

Their physicality and aerial prowess proved to be a notable feature of the game against Rangers and it was once again to the fore for the opener last night.

Matias Soule swung in a corner-kick with his left foot and it was Liam Scales who met the ball with his head, sending it flying past Kasper Schmeichel and in off the underside of the crossbar.

Nancy would have been looking for a positive response, not only to losing the first goal, but also more broadly after the defeat to Hearts.

But it simply did not materialise. With Roma pressing high up the pitch to the point their whole team was camped inside the Celtic half, Nancy’s team couldn’t get out.

You had to question the wisdom of Nancy deploying this same system, a system where both wing-backs were essentially wingers in Sebastian Tounekti and Yang Hyun-jun, against a team of this quality.

Celtic couldn’t keep the ball for long enough to build any sustained periods of pressure or possession. They left themselves brutally exposed. Roma captain Stephan El Shaarawy fired narrowly wide in another warning.

Nicollo Pisilli also let fly with a good effort from just outside the box, with the ball whistling just over the crossbar.

The home crowd grew audibly frustrated and Nancy grew steadily more animated – and frustrated – on the touchline.

It felt like it was only a matter of time until the visitors scored a second goal – and it duly arrived on 36 minutes at the end of another flowing move.

Soule, who was outstanding in the Roma midfield throughout, released Zeki Celik on the overlap down the right.

Celik sent in a low cross for Ferguson to clip the ball past Kasper Schmeichel for 2-0. Still only 21 years of age, the Roma striker would enjoy an excellent night.

Celtic were being absolutely ripped to shreds. Chants of sack the board echoed round the stadium. The change of manager has brought no change to the general air of mutiny around the club.

Roma made it 3-0 on the cusp of half-time. Soule, the Argentine midfielder signed for £25m last year, claimed his second assist of the night, firing a pass into the feet of Ferguson.

The big Irishman, who is currently on loan from Brighton, took one touch to control it before turning and firing low into the far corner past Schmeichel.

This was the sort of performance from Ferguson that made him one of the most sought-after strikers in the Premier League only a few years ago before he lost his way slightly.

Celtic thought they might have a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty after Arne Engels went down under pressure from Mario Hermoso.

But, summing up their first half in general, Engels’ spot-kick thumped against the post as the score remained 3-0 to Roma.

Nancy made three changes at the break, with Colby Donovan, Pauli Bernardo and Kelechi Iheanacho coming on to replace Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda.

Celtic thought they had pulled a goal back just after the hour when a neat pass released Engels down the right. The Belgian fired the ball across the six-yard box for Iheanacho to convert from close range.

But it was ruled out by VAR for an offside. As a contest, the game had become a non-event. Roma substitute Leon Bailey curled one into the top corner, but VAR ruled it out.

The majority of Celtic fans had left long before full-time. The empty seats and sound of Italian voices roaring in victory, this was a brutal night for Nancy.

They say that all roads lead to Rome. Unless Celtic can dig out a performance and result at Hampden on Sunday, they will be on a road to nowhere under this new manager.