'We have to win every game from now until the end of the season,' Julian Araujo

Reflecting on the defeat to Stuttgart, which Callum McGregor reckoned was not really a 4-1 game, the Mexican international reflected with some regrets about a night that promised so much but ended with the huge disappointment as Celtic can now effectively go to Germany playing for nothing more than pride.

“Obviously, it’s not the result we wanted,” Araujo said via TCW after the 4-1 defeat to Stuttgart effectively ended the tie. “I think we’ve got to do better. We didn’t have any options in the first half. I think in the second half, we were a little bit better. Obviously, we know the four shots that they took they scored. We need to create more chances and score goals.”

Araujo wouldn’t be drawn on the booing that was directed towards Kasper Schmeichel, refusing to criticise the supporters by simply noting that he ‘can’t control anybody’.

The heavy defeat though certainly hurts. “If anything, it motivates us. You can’t have a team come to Celtic Park and let them score four goals. So I think this motivates us and you know, we’re focused on the game in the league,” Araujo said as the attention turns to facing Hibs at Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon in what is a must win match for the Scottish Champions.

“Now, obviously, we have to turn it around, switch off and recover because, you know, this is a quick turnaround and we play on Sunday. We’ve got to do whatever we have to do to make sure that our bodies are 100 per cent. We all want to win and obviously today didn’t go the way we wanted it to go. So obviously everybody’s mad” Araujo admitted.

“But like I said, you know, we’ve got to switch it off, I think today, once we’re getting home, we know we try to get over it and focus on Sunday. Football can change in a matter of seconds. I think you know, obviously it’s not a result that we wanted. So we gotta flip it around,” he added.

“We have a tough couple of weeks coming up, so we have to mentally stay focused and keep confidence in ourselves, and I think we can do it. I mean, this is football, you know, you don’t always win every game. You’ve got to turn it around quickly. Obviously, we know this was a Europa League game, and obviously, right now our focus is on the league.

“I think all of us have been very strong. I think, you know, whether we’re scoring in the 90th minute or winning it early on. We’re still all doing very well. Football is a game of 90 plus minutes, so we’ve just got to stay focused.” The Mexican star said.

He added as he looked at the three-way battle for the title: “This is the beauty of being a footballer. You know, I’m grateful to be a part of it, it gets the adrenaline going. Stay focused, stay humble, and you know, enjoy it all.

“I’ve never been involved [in anything as tense]but I’m but I’m enjoying the ride. I enjoy every day. I’m doing what I love to do, and with Celtic, and I think we all believe in ourselves and know we can do it.

“I mean, it would be crazy,” he admitted. “I think, you know, we have to win every game from now until the end of the season. We can do some good things this year.”

On that now legendary goal against Kilmarnock last weekend to finish off a stunning second half fightback overcoming a 2-0 deficit, Julian Araujo had this to say: “I think the goal went viral. So I think it was a crazy celebration. I’ve never experienced anything like that.

“But now that the game is over, you know, I thought I’d try to turn it around on Thursday. And obviously it didn’t go the way we wanted it to go. So now we have to focus on Hibs.”