Harry Kane doesn't scare Auston Trusty after Celtic ace kept tabs on Zlatan as he eyes Super Bowl double
The prospect of squaring up with one of the best strikers in the world is not going to stress Auston Trusty.
The Celtic defender has already been lobbed in at the deep end against one of the best on the planet and lived to tell the tale. At least this time the home crowd have stumped up to see their own team – rather than the guy he has to mark.
Trusty was still a raw teenager at home town club Philadelphia Union in the MLS when LA Galaxy swept into town in July 2018 – and he was up against mega star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Even the locals flocked to the ground to get a glimpse of the super Swede, who’d scooped titles across the continent with giants such as Juventus, Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG. Trusty had to hang tough in a 3-1 defeat – with Zlatan scoring, of course, – but that kind of night has stood him in good stead.
Chuck in his season up against the best in the English Premier League with Sheffield United, and the thought of taking on Harry Kane and his Bayern Munich pals tonight won’t send him into a shiver. It’s excitement the American feels ahead of this evening’s Champions League showdown.
Trusty said: “One hundred percent. These are the opportunities where you have to show it. You have to go out there and perform against a team like Bayern Munich, who have huge backing.
“To play against these guys and these teams, these are the opportunities you want. Harry Kane is a world class striker but I’ve played against a few. I've played against Zlatan. I've played against Rooney. I've played against David Villa. I
“I've played against all the guys in the Premier League, different guys who are doing well now. I feel like I've played against a lot of top guys. You learn from these experiences. Absolutely.
“It doesn't hurt. The experiences I've had in the past can set me up for this and beyond.
“I think facing Zlatan that first time was a big one. It was my first year playing at the Philadelphia Union. It was a home game. “We didn't usually sell out the stadium but Zlatan was coming – the whole stadium was sold out.
“You couldn't buy a ticket. I couldn't even get a ticket for my freaking family! To be in that environment, to see what you could be as a player, one that everyone wants to come see.
“You’re selling an entire stadium. To see it in that aspect, but also to see his level and his calibre of player in person, it was just pretty cool.
“It was good for me as a young player to have that experience right from the bat.”
Trusty was in bullish mood ahead of Bayern – and he’s dreaming of an incredible double. The Philly fella celebrated his team’s Super Bowl success on Sunday – and he hopes some of the underdog spirit can rub off on Celts.
Trusty said: “It doesn't hurt to see! I grew up watching the Eagles. My dad is a lifelong Eagles fan and my whole family really.
“It was just really cool. You don't even buy tickets, you just turn up for the tailgate.
“You just literally get dropped off at the parking lot outside the stadium and then you just hear the noise of whether we're winning or losing. It just brings back a lot of memories and to see them have success.
“It means a lot to myself and also everyone from Philadelphia. I didn’t stay up to watch it all. I had a little anxiety when I woke up thinking what happened? My phone was full of messages in the morning.
“It was just amazing. I just wish I was there to celebrate and be with my family.
“The Eagles went into the game as big underdogs - and they kind of routed the Chiefs a wee bit. You can take a bit of inspiration from that, absolutely.
“Glasgow reminds me of Philadelphia a lot. The green shirts help too!”
Some would see Parkhead tonight as Celtic’s Super Bowl. But Trusty said: “As an athlete, when you get to certain levels, you kind of have to treat every game like a Super Bowl.
“But I think if you ask any of the Eagles players, the more you make it a different thing, it kind of messes things up.
“So you have to treat it like – not an ordinary game – but be dialled in and don't do anything different. Play your game, don't do anything crazy.”
Like the Eagles, Celtic have been written off by some already. The Bayern Munich camp have treated the Hoops with respect – but the noise around the German club has been anything but.
A succession of former players and pundits over there have lined up to dismiss the Hoops as no hopers, who will be brushed aside by Bayern. Some have even suggested they rest key men in Glasgow because the Bundesliga challenge is greater this weekend.
Trusty has taken note. And with Daizen Maeda freed up and in form, the defender said: “I think the worst thing they can do is underestimate us. I’ve seen a few things and maybe they're thinking they are Bayern Munich and we're Celtic, but that shouldn't be the case.
“Celtic is a big club as well. I've seen that some people have counted us out already.
“That’s fine, if that’s their mindset. You never know what Daizen Maeda or anybody can do.
“We’re at home and I think we’ve shown to each other that we back ourselves.“We have no reason to play with fear. We have nothing to lose, only things to gain.“If we go out and do our thing I truly believe that we can get a result that’s in our favour.”
