Celtic really didn’t heed their warning.
After Jens Petter Hauge scored a late clincher during AC Milan’s 3-1 triumph at Parkhead back in October, there was to be no excuse on Thursday night.
The Norwegian wonderkid was no longer an unknown quantity, after all. Then again, knowing Hauge’s strengths is one thing – and Celtic certainly made a mess of stopping them as Stefano Pioli’s Serie A leaders came from two goals down to hammer another nail in Neil Lennon’s managerial coffin.
It was Hauge, all dancing feet and twinkling toes, who slalomed through not one, not two but three of the most half-hearted challenges you will see in European football this season to put Milan ahead for the first time in a topsy turvy encounter early in the second half.
If Lennon thought that was bad, just wait.
Because, as Celtic pushed for an equaliser at one end, Hauge did even more convincing impression of a Scandinavian Lionel Messi at the other, waltzing through a flimsy Hatem Abd Elhamed ‘tackle’ before picking out a grateful Brahim Diaz with a defence-splitting pass the Barcelona skipper himself would have been proud of.
In 11 games for the Rossoneri, Hauge now produced six goals and three assists.
Not bad for a 21-year-old signed from Bodo/Glint in a £3.5 million deal less than three months ago. Milan seem to possess a Midas Touch in the transfer market these days and, in Hauge, they have struck gold.
Reacting on Twitter to a coming-of-age performance from one of Europe’s most exciting young attackers, Leeds United legend Brian Deane was left baffled by the lack of interest from English shores in a player with obvious talent.
There was one club who showed an interest in Hauge before he swapped Scandinavia for San Siro, however – Deane’s old employers. Calciomercato reported, in September, that Leeds were at the front of the queue to sign Norway’s latest superkid before Paolo Maldini twisted the youngster’s arm.
On last night’s evidence, however, Leeds’ loss is most certainly Milan’s gain – and Neil Lennon’s nightmare fuel.
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