Celtic started their Europea League campaign with a draw in an excellent game of football in Belgrade against Red Star. Despite Celtic controlling most of the possession during the first 45 minutes, it was the hosts who created the best chances – until added time before the break. Cameron Carter-Vickers broke free from his marker to get on the end of a Benjamin Nygren cross but could not turn his effort on target from 6 yards.
That chance seemed to ignite Celtic as they rolled over Red Star from the opening moment of the second half. An excellent move down the left saw Kieran Tierney cut the ball deep into the box for Nygren, but his shot went too close to the keeper. Moments later Kelechi Iheanacho must have thought he had opened the scoring with a close-range shot which again found the keeper.
The opener arrived on 55 minutes. Nygren collected the ball 45 yards from goal on the wing. He drove to the edge of the box, passed a defender with a step-over, before pinging a pass to Iheanacho. It was the best football played all night and a tier one assist. This is a player. Kelechi took a touch before despatching a left foot shot high into the net. Keeper Matheus got a hand to it but could not keep it out.
The lead was no more than Celtic deserved. Red Star rallied and equalised from a corner 10 minutes later, where they got the first three touches on the cross (sigh), culminating in Arnautovic knocking the ball home from 3 yards.
Celtic visibly tired as the game concluded and dropped deep to hold the line in the closing 10 minutes. Reo Hatate came in for some soft criticism on TV during the game, but it was when he wilted that Celtic found it difficult to build play. Still, Iheanacho had the best chance to win the game when again clean through, but his chip caught the keeper’s face. Whatever happened to him in Middlesborough, is no longer relevant.
In the old home and away double header days, we would have been happy with this result as Red Star looked like a team we would take at home. The manager seemed irked when questioned post-match about the search for an away win in Europe. It will be four years since our last non-qualification win on the road by the time we next play away. These games are significantly more taxing than anything we face domestically (which is a big part of the problem). Still, hope in our hearts, and all that? Belgrade is not Bergamo, no matter how long the tunnel.
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Calmac to CCV.
CCV to Scales.
Scales to Calmac.
Calmac to CCV.
Imagine there’s no Iheanacho
– it’s easy of you try
Going to places like Zagreb and Belgrade and dominating the ball is something to be proud off – most of us will be old enough to remember Celtic teams going to such places and being turned inside out.
The introduction of Iheanacho turned the game for us and illustrates the pivotal difference a functioning striker makes to the whole team.
AN DÚN on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 12:05 PM
Agreed, makes you realise how much we’ve missed Kyogo. How different life could have been for Celtic if Kele had chosen us over Middlesborough in January.
Celtic started their Europea League campaign with a draw in an excellent game of football in Belgrade against Red Star.
watched the whole match again this morning, an excellent game of football it was not.
that was a great read on o;neills new book, ta to whoever posted it.
his comments on director of football most interesting, he wont be taking on that role at celtic,
I was happy with the draw and the performance away from home but I will say Red Star looked a poorer side than anyone we played in CL last season AND Almaty.
We still have a way to go as a team- if that was just an off night for Red Star, then we dodged a bullet.
A couple of impertinent questions Paulo…
Iheanacho has stepped up for us twice in 2 games and looks more like a proper CF than Adam did latterly.
Would he have shown up in our analytics-driven shortlist and even if he did, would we have enticed a player of that experience and strength to Glesga without BR being able to slip into his DMs (as the teens say) ?
Shirley there is room to operate a balanced model where we bring some kids thru like young Colby ‘City’ Donovan, data picks like Inamura and proven quantities like Kels ?
Also yer statement… ‘Belgrade is not Bregamo, no matter how long the tunnel…’
Which country is Bregamo in ?
Bregamo is not Bergamo either
you say toe-may-toe
I thought in the first half they gave us a lot more respect than we’d have expected which made life a little easier than we might have planned for. The studio guys were a bit hard on us at half time I thought – going there and keeping them to such few chances was an achievement, if there was a disappointment at full time it was that we didnt take some excellent chances, not that we weren’t able to create them which has been the problem recently. They played in a way that we’ve struggled against, man to man high press, we coped with it well.
I think this Celtic team’s success will be based more on defence than goals which is probably how it should be in Europe. We definitely look more solid with KT in the team, he’s still working to get close to his best, but the combination with Seb looks like it’ll be very productive. The more we see him in space crossing into the box the better, it always leads to danger.
Nygren looks like a real find, he’s always effective, his passing and crossing are excellent. He has a great attitude, hopefully Arne can see what it takes to make it at Celtic and learn from it.
Real signs of progress.
I would like our manager to stop talking about the quality of the squad, he did it straight after the game yesterday, again. With so long to go until January it serves nobody’s purpose but his own. We’ve seen before what running the squad down can do, telling us to lower our expectations makes for excuses and suggests a lack of ambition. He can argue that we didnt do business early enough, but he has his players in now, some of them expensive, so we need to get on with the job now.
and what is a ‘tier one assit’ ?
Wasn’t super impressed with the starting midfield.
Manager deserves some credit for changing things and introducing new striker.
Not likely to receive that here!
I hope Brendan finds time to sit down with Daizen before our next game and work some man-management magic with him . Whatever Daizen is feeling about his situation can fester and linger, and a fully firing Daizen can be such a potent weapon for us . Give him some assurances about January and remind him that some top class performances are more likely to catch the eye of any watching scouts .
If we can do that AND line up a January replacement for him , even better .
I said at the weekend, if Iheanacho gets a bit of love from the crowd,we could see him emerging again into a very good player, top class finish last night
If only we’d had a team that could perform in Atalanta
Who would win in a fight between the right footed left winger, and the left footed right winger.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:15 PM
I’d go with what Brendan said:
‘Forrest is our best winger’ – Rodgers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cv2yedzq6dyo#:~:text='Forrest%20is%20our%20best%20winger'%20%2D%20Rodgers&text=%22When%20you%20have%20teams%20that,brilliant%20when%20he%20came%20on.%22
“But I’ve always said in terms of quality and wing-play, he’s our best winger.”
Better than Maeda and Kuhn at that point.
Glendale – I replied to similar on the last thread. I have had multiple roles with several employers and assorted assignments as a Consultant- I have worked. In jobs I don’t like, for organisations I don’t like and (sometimes) with people I don’t like. I have never ‘downed tools’ – so if a football players needs mollycoddled he can F off – he is a fraud.
Donovan looks like he could play CB,embdae know if he’s played there for the B Team?
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:09 PM
We forgot how good Daizen was last season – he scored 14 and assisted 4 times in ten games as a striker according to Transfermarkt.
The Japanese conundrum from the previous blog. Celtic letting Kyogo go without a replacement signed (let’s overlook the fact that another forward player was signed) was wrong. Celtic not letting Maeda leave when a replacement had not been signed was wrong. Conclusion: Celtic can never be right.
What makes it even more difficult to understand is that both decisions were taken by a manager who, apparently, can never be wrong.
CROFTCELT on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:52 PM
Add to that we let Idah go when he was happy to stay.
Theres some bad decisions in there.
Brendan when asked if he hopes supporters will put their protests on hold, said: “I really hope so. The lift the supporters will give in these European games will be absolutely critical. Our fanbase can really push in this competition. I can’t tell the supporters what to do and how to feel, but if they can really help us as a team, that would be amazing. We will really feel the benefit of a packed-out Celtic Park.”
Croftcelt- the manager doesn’t sign any player, it’s the Club who sort out the fee,contract, and when he’s getting signed, the same happened with Dembele and Boyata,promised a move and no replacement in place,Fulham offered £10 million for Boyata,he left 18 months later for nothing, Lawwell should have been hunted back then.
Croftcelt
I am in the dont keep an unhappy player who is wanted elsewhere, however, just like incomings it is all about the timing, it has to be a mutal event.
Had we kept Nicolas, we might have went through, if we signed everybody else early we might have got through.
Highly unlike me, but having watched Red Star game I really couldnt get excited about the level of competition, just happy we didnt get beat, but it really does all feel 2nd tier.
Our planning for next seasons champions league has to be done now, our signings to be, and their clubs approached ealry, and anyone that can be brought in January.
If not, then KT type signed ready for new season day 1.
celtic40me- I was delighted how much we got for Idah,never a regular starter for Celtic
CELTIC40ME on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:23 PM
Definitely. The closest we’ve got to a winger in the generic sense. These fancy dans that play to cut inside onto their good foot, are rubbish especially at £4M then sold for £17M 👍
saint stivs
September 25, 2025 2:06 pm
Supporters demand change – until it comes, business as usual is not an option
https://x.com/CFC_Collective/status/1970567943063798029
Croftecelt
Genuinely interested- do you have evidence for your second paragraph?
Must be the first manager in history to want to see team weakened without any plan to re strengthen.
Bizarre state of affairs, if you are correct
Glenowen.
Brendan himself stated that Kyogo had been asking to leave for months. He also indicated that that he was not prepared to have Maeda leave when there was no replacement in. At that stage in proceedings it was perfectly sensible as Dolberg was by then going to Ajax.
There are clearly difficulties in getting these timings right, and that is something that Celtic need to make major improvements on.
I hadnt caught up on this.
That pricing for general sale seats – NO CONCESSION TICKETS, NO KIDS TICKETS
is that correct, and if it is its a damned shame
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I can only imagine the uproar if Daezan and Yang had been allowed to leave on the last day of the window without replacements.
They are our players and under contract and we were perfectly within our rights to keep them.
As for Adam Idah, I think his days were numbered when he was involved in the incident in the taxi.
If he had been a model professional and wanted to stay, he would probably still be here.
Could be wrong, but I felt that some of Brendan’s comments about attitude and application and players needing to remember who pays their wages were direct at him more than Maeda.
OCH, I stand corrected, you can take your kid to hospitality – but make sure they are not wearing a celtic top.
£70, money grabbing , greedy bassas.
—————————————–
Hospitality
UEL : SC Braga
Thu 2 October 2025, 17:45 Celtic Park
Club Celtic
Booking Fee up to £1.50
Club Celtic Matchday Experience includes:
Your ticket for the match.
Padded seating within a prime viewing location offering spectacular views.
Complimentary matchday programme and team sheet.
Lounge access on the day of the game: pre match, half-time and full-time.
Cash bar facility throughout your visit.
Range of complimentary half time snacks, teas and coffee.
Live sport on the big screens in the lounge areas.
Dress code: Smart but casual, no sportswear, replica jerseys or sports shoes.
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Premium Adult £115.00
Child £70.00
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 2:06 PM
Also good.
Perhaps someone can tell me the flaw in my thinking.
We pay a club record fee for a striker. You would expect him to be first choice in his position, eventually at least.
We sell our other (first choice) striker, but our club record striker isnt expected to become our first choice striker so at that point, we need a replacement first choice striker
We swap our striker for our best player from a few years ago, a left winger.
Maeda becomes our second choice left winger but moves into the middle. Ahead of our record signing.
Maeda does better than the Kyogo who’s place he has taken. The best record for a Celtic striker since Henke. Becomes our first choice striker
We go into the window with a striker who’s done better than the guy he replaced, our record signing, and a third choice. We then sign a fourth choice from Japan.
But we still need to replace Kyogo.
We then sell our second choice who was happy to stay, meaning we need to sign another striker
We then tell our first choice striker he cant leave because we dont have a replacement even though we just sold a striker.
Now we have a pissed off first choice striker who is no longer good enough to be our fist choice striker and sold our second choice striker. Our first choice striker becomes a guy who we signed after the window closed who isnt match fit and will take weeks to get fully up to speed
Meanwhile while we need to sign a first choice striker (the replacement for Kyogo), which would mean Maeda either becomes a winger again or second choice , we also need to sign a right winger. So we buy two new left wingers for over £10m even though we already have Jota, and Maeda. We arent allowed to have one of the left wingers play on the left because of something or other. So soon, on our left wing we will have Jota, Maeda, Tounekti and Balikwisha. And Yang and Jamesie on the left.
It looks to me like theres no plan short of just wanting more and more players and making it everyone else’s fault when it doesnt work out.
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 2:25 PM
I can only imagine the uproar if Daezan and Yang had been allowed to leave on the last day of the window without replacements.
I think thats what Brendan is trading on. Unfortunately both players came to Celtic with at least the idea that they would get a move to a better league or to play more football.
If we stop being a stepping stone and stalling players careers they’ll stop coming, which might not be Brendan’s concern but it certainly should be ours
So, Daizen had a bad game, ffs, it happens to the best, gie the guy a break. All this crap about body language etc, does my head in
kingLUBO
Not taking £3 million for Yang was more mismanagement
Whether deliberate or unintentional, some people are misconstruing the Maeda situation.
Once we fail to recruit the striker BR wanted all summer, we’re left in a position that we have to keep Maeda.
We certainly couldn’t have sold him on the final day.
So, yes, we had to keep him. But it’s how we found ourselves in that position after 8 months that’s the problem.
Likewise Yang. We had to keep him because we couldn’t close out the Breum deal.
Our recruiting failures have had serious knock on effects with moving players on.