CELTIC midfielder Callum McGregor reckons that Peter Lawwell's comments about the Premiership champions being affected more than the coronavirus pandemic than any other club were misinterpreted by the public.

The Parkhead chief executive faced an angry backlash after claiming his club had more keenly felt the effects of coronavirus than anyone else in a five-minute video message to supporters.

McGregor, though, reckons that Lawwell simply meant that the playing side of the Glaswegian club had suffered more than any other, with their 60,000-seater stadium laying dormant while fans await the all-clear to return to grounds not helping matters.

Glasgow Times:

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And the Celtic midfielder added that no football club has been immune to the financial side-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: "I think in terms of actual performance, I think he was more talking along those lines in terms of having the fans and having the full stadium to roar the team on.

"Maybe in that sense he means more in terms of performance.

"I think every team in the world has been affected financially with it and some more than others.

"But it's a really difficult world we are living in just now and I think we just have to be as positive as we can - everyone try and help each other, and just a general message of trying to help each other get through this because it's such an unprecedented time.

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"Now we need each other more than ever, and I'm talking about humanity in that sense as well.

"I think the further we go into this everyone has been affected, some more than others, and like I said I think it's more in terms of performance than other things."