Rodgers said later that his team were too safe, lacked speed, slickness, precision and personality. What they also lacked was the wit of Reo Hatate and Jota.
They were not themselves, but even still they hit the Aberdeen woodwork twice and failed with a glorious one-on-one when Dimitar Mitov, a hero on an afternoon of heroes, saved from Daizen Maeda seven minutes from the end of moral time.
Celtic had 21 shots to Aberdeen’s five, 81.5% possession to Aberdeen’s 18.5%, 15 corners to Aberdeen’s four.
None of it meant anything, not when Thelin’s defence was in the mood to defend with their last breath. You lost count of the number of blocks they had, each one chipping away at Celtic’s karma.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this – and it rarely is. Celtic hadn’t lost to Aberdeen in 30 matches.
Having conceded an unlucky goal, the Dons then scored one of their own. Two own goals reflected the flawed, madcap nature of this final.
There was little shape, little rhythm, little accuracy. There was chaos, there were bodies colliding, players on the floor, coaches going bonkers.
In chunks, it was like an under-eights game. Everybody running about with abandon. And it was hard to take your eyes off it.
When it went to penalties, the odds were still stacked in Celtic’s favour. They don’t mind a penalty shoot-out at Hampden. They’ve won a couple in recent times. Even at that late stage, they were favourites to pull off the treble.
Then Mitov saved from Callum McGregor and everything changed. Celtic’s brilliant leader laid low. Their aura not the same anymore.
One by one the Aberdeen men held their nerve, not just scoring but rifling in their penalties with an authority. Kasper Schmeichel, on a grim day, went the wrong way for the first three of them.
Mitov was the man in the end. In recent months he’s been criticised for some of the weaknesses in his game, but he’s an immortal now, along with the rest of them.
Open top bus tour now. European football to come. Hope where before there was dread. The phoenix has risen from the flames. And the party will last a while.
