Camilo Duran appeared unsettled by a sudden positional change during Celtic’s 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final defeat to Rangers. Pundit Michael Stewart believes the Colombian forward was distracted by being moved back out to the wing to accommodate returning striker Kasper Hogh.
The 24-year-old, who arrived at Parkhead in a £6 million deal from Qarabag, has made an immediate impact with six goals and three assists in his opening 10 matches. When £12 million summer signing Hogh missed fixtures against Falkirk, Aberdeen, and St Mirren through injury, Duran excelled as a central striker, registering three goals and two assists in those games alone. However, his return to the right flank at Ibrox yielded a flat performance.
Speaking on the Premier Sports Scottish Football Social Club, Stewart suggested that Duran’s mind seemed elsewhere during the derby loss. With Hogh struggling for form in high-profile fixtures and Haissem Hassan pressing for a starting spot, manager Martin O’Neill faces a major dilemma regarding his best attacking setup.
Stewart also pointed to deeper structural issues in Celtic’s midfield, agreeing with pundit Chris Sutton’s claim that the Hoops looked like flat-track bullies. Drawing parallels to a recent collapse against LASK, Stewart emphasized that without the physicality and athleticism of Arne Engels to support Callum McGregor, Celtic remains vulnerable to being physically overrun in big matches.