Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton claims he said a prayer every time Neymar touched the ball

Follow us on Google Discover

Celtic’s Israeli midfielder Nir Bitton reveals he thought his Celtic side were not even in the same profession as their PSG counterparts.

As reported by the Daily Record, Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton explained to Israeli TV that he said a prayer under his breath every time Neymar touched the ball in Celtic’s 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain earlier this season.

The four-time Scottish Champion revealed he thought the French side were playing a different sport, unable to process the gulf in quality between his own team and the Paris billionaires.

“When we lost 7-1 to PSG I said to myself ‘we are not even in the same profession as these guys’,” Bitton explained.

“Every time Neymar ran at me I said the Jewish prayer Shema Israel!”

Despite being on the losing end of some nasty encounters in the Champions League this season, Bitton assured fans that he was still loving life in Glasgow.

The central midfielder has played a hugely important role for the Hoops this season, with Brendan Rodgers often deploying the 6ft5 Israeli international in central defence as cover during Celtic’s injury crisis.

Clearly valued by his manager, the 26-year-old explained how Rodgers rejected an approach from Espanyol for him during summer 2016, soon after the Northern Irishman’s appointment.

“Two summers ago there was an offer from Espanyol for a few million points but Celtic wouldn’t sell me because the new manager arrived and did not want to let me go,” he said.

In the same interview, Bitton went on to defend the Scottish league, insisting that he was as happy as ever as part of the Celtic set up in Glasgow.

“I feel great at Celtic, I am in my fifth season with the club,” he added. “The Scottish league is very deceptive, we underestimate the value of my club.”

“Every home game we get 60,000 and in almost every away game we have more fans than the away club. I got nervous the first time I played at the stadium and I still do today. I still love it.”

Bitton, who has made 165 appearances for the Bhoys since arriving from FC Ashdod, concluded by explaining he is convinced that best friend and former teammate Virgil Van Dijk will be a massive success at Liverpool.