Celtic's European hopes hinge on O'Neill's urgent call after third loss
Martin O'Neill warned Celtic must find a way to win European games after a 2-1 defeat to Spanish side Celta Vigo at Parkhead on Thursday night, leaving the Hoops with zero points from three Europa League league‑phase matches and still clinging to a slim chance of progression.
Match details and turning points
Germany midfielder Mika Baur opened the scoring just over a minute after the interval, giving Celtic a brief lead. However, Spain international Javi Rodriguez struck twice within three minutes – first with a header, then an unstoppable drive – to restore Celta's advantage and seal the 2-1 loss.
O'Neill told, “We conceded a free‑kick and I thought a second before that we should have had a foul for us. They score from the free‑kick, and it knocks us a little bit. It gave them a bit of momentum.” He added, “If [Liam] Scales’ header goes in to make it 2‑0, we get the three points. We’ve lost three matches now; remarkably, we’re still in with a chance of progressing.”
Looking ahead to the Beşiktaş clash
The manager stressed the need to win both home and away, saying, “We’ve got to win here and got to win away from home. We take the lead in the game, if we get the second goal we win the match, and it changes the whole dynamic.” The upcoming tie against Beşiktaş will be crucial for their Europe campaign. Celtic host Turkish side Beşiktaş in two weeks, and O'Neill hopes a good atmosphere will help secure the vital points.
Midfielder Mika Baur admitted Celtic are struggling at this level, noting, “The focus is performing every three days in the league. That’s first and then performing in Europa League or international football as well. At the moment, maybe we are not capable to win these games.” He described the match’s momentum swing and said, “We had no control. We made mistakes, they pushed us in our own half… There are still five games ahead. We need points.”
The broader sports coverage also featured Soccer, LOI, Rugby, Golf, Racing, the League, Horse, Boxing, Motorsport, Athletics, NFL, NBA, Live, Video, Review, Podcasts, Sport, Extra, Football, Family, More, Stories, with rookie Teddy Wilson, son of World Cup winner David, named in the Australia squad, while Williams threw two touchdowns as Chicago edged the Patriots. MARTIN O'Neill was quoted earlier in the interview.
Celtic remain in contention but must convert the remaining fixtures into wins if they are to avoid an early exit from the Europa League.