THE ETERNAL PITY

Same old story for sorry Celts as the never-ending agony continues with late sucker punches from Lazio hero

- CALLUM DOWN

BRENDAN RODGERS returned to Rome aiming for Euro hopes not to be left in ruins.

But after this outing in the Eternal City, it feels like pain in the Champions League for Celtic is never-ending.

Once again, they competed with more illustrious rivals.

Once again, they had big moments and chances to claim a famous scalp.

And, sickeningly, once again, they ended up with nothing.

This time, with Celtic bang in the fight, they were with hit with another two massive punches in the stomach in the last eight gut-churning minutes delivered by home icon Ciro Immobile.

The Lazio sub shattered Rodgers' team when he was on hand to slam home an opener after a deflected shot from team-mate Gustav Isaksen dropped into his path.

Then Immobile deepened the Hoops' anguish just three minutes later by outgunning Liam Scales in the box and stepping away from Cameron Carter-Vickers to slot past Joe Hart.

As if not content just to see them hurt, ref Halil Umut Meler punished defender Patric for a push on Oh Hyeon-gyu and awarded Celtic an injury-time penalty, only to go to the screen and oddly change his mind.

It was mayhem in the home sections by that point as Lazio fans savoured more moments to painfully hurt Celtic at the game's most ruthless level.

Just as they had done in Glasgow, Mauricio Sarri's side floored Rodgers' men in a brutal finale.

Celtic's campaign summed up. Close, yet just not enough.

Their prayers of having a positive result to take to a Vatican visit this morning weren't heard.