Samaras finds solace amid Celtic gloom

Sole role
Not only chosen to operate alone up front whether Celtic had possession or not, the Greek international was also asked to forage for the ball, hold up the play for supporting team-mates and then roam wide in the game's latter stages after Scott McDonald's introduction with 18 minutes left. Yet the stark truth is that Samaras was gifted, and missed, the key chance which Celtic required to potentially end their run of 17 previous group stage matches away from the east end of Glasgow without a victory.

Missed chance
The former Manchester City FC striker made it clear that if he has any remorseful thoughts they had only to do with the final score, not how he approached his moment of opportunity. "I don't have any regrets about how I tried to finish the chance," Samaras said of the moment, three minutes before the interval, when Diego Godín fluffed a clearance and allowed the 23-year-old a clear run in on Diego López's goal. Samaras seemed as shocked as the Spanish goalkeeper when offered a free approach to the Villarreal area and although López's terrific reactions and bravery enabled him to block, it was a debilitating moment for the away side.

Positive view
Nevertheless, the Celtic striker took the longer view, and it was rosy. "The tactical things to draw from this night, although I'm not the boss and it's up to him what shape of team he opts for, are that if we continue to hit this level of performance then we'll win away from home," said Samaras. "It was disappointing that we kept our shape, kept our composure and still didn't do quite enough to take points, but we are a team for a reason. We now have to focus first on our domestic league this weekend and then turn our minds to Old Trafford. I believe that the team is totally focused on the positive and can draw strength from how we performed at Villarreal."