Eoghan O’Connell learns from Lionel Messi lesson

When Cork native Eoghan O’Connell catches sight of Lionel Messi on the Parkhead pitch he’ll be thinking of a player who helped rather than hindered his career.

Two months ago, the 21-year-old was chucked into the deep end by Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers as Celtic applied a damage limitation policy to the trouncing they were shipping at the hands of Barcelona.

Centre-back O’Connell was as downbeat as any of his more experienced teammates trekking off the famous turf that night into the basement dressing rooms aghast at the 7-0 landslide they suffered.