Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026
Trivia
- KO: 17:45; Thursday; TNT Sports TV
- UEFA Cup/Europa League Game Day 2
- Celtic on 1pt after two games.
- Celtic’s fourth 0-0 in just 11 games so far in 2025-26.
- Many fans boycotting the match due to the protests against the board, the club was even advertising discounts for season ticket holders for ticket sales up to kick-off. Attendance way below capacity.
- Ally McCoist, the former Rangers manager and player, urges Celtic to re-ignite the career of Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, 30. (Scotsman externalFormer Celtic midfielder Peter Grant backs record signing Arne Engels to prove his worth.
- UEFA VAR Chaos At Celtic Park: Legitimate Equaliser Stripped Away. Iheanacho scored an equaliser in the first half only for it to be chopped off by VAR for handball, when to everyone apart VAR it wasn’t a handball. A disgraceful decision. Referee wasn’t even asked to go see it on the monitor!
- Swedish centre-half Gustaf Lagerbielke made the switch from Celtic to Braga this summer following a season on loan at Dutch side Twente
- Plans to carry out a 29-minute silent protest against the club’s board at the start of Thursday’s Europa League match at home to Braga postponed. There was a 12-minute protest at last Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Hibs and another one lasting 29 minutes was planned for the visit of Braga before being upped to 32 minutes for Sunday’s match against Motherwell. However, the Celtic Fan Collective – a new umbrella supporters’ organisation formed in the wake of recent anger – have cancelled their protests after the club’s board agreed to a meeting.
- Prematch: Brendan Rodgers expects Paulo Bernardo to play a part in Thursday’s Europa League match against Braga, saying the 23-year-old midfielder’s lack of game time was due to injuries last season but that he is now fit.
- Gustaf Lagerbielke does not consider his two years with Celtic as a failure, the 25-year-old centre-half saying he learned a lot and won a league title in his first season, before his summer move to Thursday’s Europa League opponents, Braga.
- Reports: Cluj would now accept less than £4.5m for 23-year-old striker Louis Munteanu, for whom Celtic reportedly had a £6.9m bid rejected in the summer before the Romanian club claimed a £17m transfer to Ajax or Valencia fell through, according to FCSB owner George Becali.
- Celtic youth: Samuel Isiguzo signed a new deal which will see him remain at the club until the summer of 2028. Isiguzo signed his first professional contract with the Hoops during the summer of 2023 and has continued his development as part of the Academy system.
Summary
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking at his post-match press conference and says he feels Kelechi Iheanacho’s disallowed equaliser against Braga should have stood.
“I can’t understand why the referee isn’t asked to go and have a look at that,” the boss said.
“If you look at it once, twice, I’m assuming the people in the VAR room have looked at it more than that, there’s absolutely no way, whatever way you look at it, [Iheanacho] has touched it.
“That’s a huge moment in the game. It was a big moment in the game. We started the half well and we continued to push.”
On Kasper Schmeichel’s role in the opening goal: “He’ll be really disappointed with it. It’s a good strike and it’s obviously moved a little bit, but I haven’t spoken to him about it.”
On Celtic’s lack of goals: “Whatever it is, I need to find the solution to it. There’s been too many games now where we haven’t scored for a team that, last season, scored the most goals in the last 54 years in the club’s history.
“It’s my responsibility to find the solutions to that. We got into some good areas and the keeper made some good saves, but we still need to be more aggressive.”
On whether summer recruitment has played a part: “It doesn’t really matter what it is because nothing is going to change in that aspect until at least January, so I need to find an answer.”
Tom English BBC Scotland chief sports writer “So many issues for Celtic. An error-prone goalkeeper, Benjamin Nygren not turning up in big games, Reo Hatate’s game diminished, Daizen Maeda a shadow of his former self, lack of reliable goalscorers, lack of energy, an ageing Callum McGregor, Arne Engels not kicking-on, very little impact from the bench. And that’s just the on-field stuff.”
E-Tims @ETimsNet · 1h FT #Celtic 0 Braga 2 1st half woeful. 0/10 would be too kind. 2nd half lot better (couldn’t get any worse). Iheanacho goal disallowed for handball…still haven’t seen still of handbaw…no doubt it exists! We huffed & puffed but too reliant on Tounekti for inspiration. We are in a mess on & off the field. Not a healthy mix. Board let us down badly. Supporters & board MAJOR division. BR & players now subpar. Still early to turn things around. Need to sort Board/Fans issue as PRIORITY this month as a house divided is doomed to failure
DV of KDS:
This team has reached the end, too many of our older players falling of the cliff at the same time, the recruitment has left us with a low quality and unbalanced squad, we must have guys moping about lennoxtown fed up as not involved in a pish squad and a manager who looks like he does not have the will or means to turn it around. Add in apathy amongst support and the are big red flashing lights everywhere.
My only hope is we are still in contention for league come January and we reinforce the squad with actual quality, (I know,I know)
Highland__Paddy @Highland__paddy · We are watching a team where to all intents and purposes it’s the end of the Celtic careers for Schmeichel, CCV , Hatate, Maeda , the manager, and quite possibly our Captain. It shows.
Terry of KDS:
Schmeichel, Tierney and McGregor need dropped so far down they couldnt make the B team. The keeper is done, McGregor is no longer a leader and Tierney is a pathetic impression of the player he once was. Arteta was right, Tierney was a washed out waste of a jersey. And so many thought Taylor was useless. As they say, be careful what you wish for. Taylor would never have put in some of the totally inept performances we have seen from Tierney. They used to say in boxing, they never come back, Tierney is footballs example. Time to make Sinisalo and Saracchi the first team picks. Stick Engels in the 6 and somehow find another two of our midfielders who can click together. Come January break the bank for a decent RW. Build some confidence around the team by offering BR a contract extension and then give us all a Christmas present and sack the board who engineered this clustereff
Teams
Celtic
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
Formation: 4 – 3 – 3
01 K. Schmeichel
63 K. Tierney, subbed for D. Murray at 81mins
05 L. Scales 89′, Yellow Card at 89mins
20 C. Carter-Vickers
51 C. Donovan, subbed for M. Saracchi at 46mins
28 Paulo Bernardo, subbed for R. Hatate at 67mins
42 C. McGregor (c), Captain
08 B. Nygren, subbed for A. Engels at 67mins
23 S. Tounekti
17 K. Ịheanachọ
38 D. Maeda, subbed for J. Forrest at 77mins
Subs:
10 M. Balikwisha
27 A. Engels
49 J. Forrest
41 R. Hatate
24 J. Kenny
14 L. McCowan
47 D. Murray
56 A. Ralston
36 M. Saracchi 81′, Yellow Card at 81mins
12 V. Sinisalo
06 A. Trusty
13 Yang Hyun-Jun
Goals:
Assists:
Sporting Braga
Manager: Carlos Vicens
Formation: 3 – 4 – 2 – 1
01 L. Horníček
26 B. Arrey-Mbi
06 Vítor Carvalho
14 G. Lagerbielke
05 Leonardo Lelo
27 F. Grillitsch, subbed for João Moutinho at 65mins
29 J. Gorby
41 Yanis da Rocha 13′, Yellow Card at 13mins, subbed for Víctor Gómez at 46mins
18 Pau Víctor, subbed for Diego Rodrigues at 71mins
21 Ricardo Horta (c), Captain, subbed for R. Zalazar at 70mins
09 A. El Ouazzani, subbed for Gabri Martínez at 82mins
Subs:
36 A. Bellaarouch
02 Víctor Gómez
08 João Moutinho
12 Tiago Sá
77 Gabri Martínez
39 Fran Navarro
04 S. Niakaté
50 Diego Rodrigues
95 Sandro Vidigal
72 João Aragão
33 João Marques
10 R. Zalazar
Goals:
Ricardo Horta (20′)
Gabri Martínez (85′)
Assists:
J. Gorby (20′)
Referee Tobias Stieler
Video Assistant Referee Christian Dingert
Assistant Referee 1 Lasse Koslowski
Assistant Referee 2 Mark Borsch
Fourth Official Timo Gerach
Assistant VAR Official Pol van Boekel
Att: way way below capacity.
Venue:Celtic Park
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
Overall possession
Celtic 55.9% Sporting Braga 44.1%
Shots
Celtic 9 Sporting Braga 13
Shots on target
Celtic 3 Sporting Braga 6
Total touches inside the opposition box
Celtic 22 Sporting Braga 18
Goalkeeper saves
Celtic 4 Sporting Braga 3
Fouls committed
Celtic 15 Sporting Braga 9
Fouls committed
Corners
Celtic 7 Sporting Braga 5
In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
Celtic 9 Sporting Braga 13
Shots on target
Celtic 3 Sporting Braga 6
Shots off target
Celtic 3 Sporting Braga 2
Attempts out of box
Celtic 2 Sporting Braga 4
Total offsides
Celtic 1 Sporting Braga 2
Distribution
Total passes
Celtic 591 Sporting Braga 470
Pass accuracy %
Celtic 88 Sporting Braga 83
Backward passes
Celtic 90 Sporting Braga 96
Forward passes
Celtic 180 Sporting Braga 138
Total long balls
Celtic 40 Sporting Braga 58
Successful final third passes
Celtic 99 Sporting Braga 69
Total crosses
Celtic 23 Sporting Braga 13
Defence
Total tackles
Celtic 15 Sporting Braga 20
Won tackle %
Celtic 53.3 Sporting Braga 60
Won tackle %
Fouls committed
Celtic 15 Sporting Braga 9
Total yellow cards
Celtic 2 Sporting Braga 1Total clearances
Celtic 29 Sporting Braga 32
Total clearances
Match Facts
This will be the third European match between Celtic and Braga, after the Portuguese side eliminated the Hoops during a UEFA Champions League qualifier in 2010-11 (4-2 on aggregate).
Braga have played Scottish opposition four times previously in the UEFA Europa League, losing three times to and beating Rangers once between 2020 and 2022.
Celtic have lost just one of their last eight home games in all European competition (W4 D3), a 1-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in last season’s UEFA Champions League.
Braga have failed to win any of their last four away UEFA Europa League games (D1 L3), conceding nine goals in total during that time.
After his goal against Crvena Zvezda, Kelechi Iheanacho could become the seventh player to score in both of his first two major European competition appearances for Celtic, and first since both Andreas Thom and Simon Donnelly did so in September 1995 in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Articles
Celtic bemoan VAR malfunction as fans break ceasefire and one player reminds he is not long-term answer
By Graeme Macpherson
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/celtic-bemoan-var-malfunction-as-fans-break-ceasefire-and-one-player-reminds-he-is-not-long-term-answer-5344071
0Comments
Published 2nd Oct 2025, 20:26 BST
Confusion over disallowed goal as Celtic crash to Europa League defeat
Celtic supporters suspended their ongoing feud with the club’s board for much of the night but this was a result and performance that spoke louder than any dissenting chants could have done.
News that the Parkhead hierarchy had agreed to sit down with fans early next week to discuss “ongoing concerns about the running of the club” had led to the suspension of a planned silent protest.
There were also none of the usual “sack the board” chants until the final knockings of another desperate European display, the sight of Braga slamming in their second goal five minutes from time to seal the win prompting supporters to break their ceasefire and give the board both barrels.
Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel (left) and team-mates react after Braga’s Gabri Martinez scores his side’s second goal in the Europa League defeat.
Celtic will have deserved cause to bemoan the decision to rule out a Kelechi Iheanacho equaliser early in the second half – the ball didn’t seem to strike his arm as VAR stated – but this was a third match in a row without a win and the fifth time this season that Brendan Rodgers’ side had failed to score.
The consolation for failing to qualify for the Champions League was meant to be a guaranteed harvest of Europa League points but two games in and Celtic have just one to show for their efforts. Braga are not from European football’s top drawer – they sit seventh in their domestic league – and their supporters could scarcely believe their luck as the Portuguese joined Bayern Munich in becoming just the second team to win at Parkhead in the last nine European games here.
Celtic’s cause was not helped by the concession of a sloppy opening goal that didn’t show Kasper Schmeichel in the best of lights and left them having to chase the game.
Rodgers chopped and changed things throughout to try to land on the magic formula but no amount of tactical or personnel switches could deliver the goal that would have at least salvaged something from a difficult night. The chants against the board returned at maximum volume come the final whistle.
Very few of the protests about Celtic’s summer transfer activity – or lack of – centred on the decision not to sign a new goalkeeper, although that thought may have crossed some supporters’ minds at the opening goal midway through the first half.
Schmeichel had already survived a few shaky moments but there was no sparing the Dane just a few minutes later. There seemed little danger when Horta took possession around 35 yards out but, with nobody rushing to close him down, the Braga captain elected to unleash an audacious effort. His shot did swerve somewhat in the air but Schmeichel should have done far better than wave his right arm at it as it flew beyond him.
He remains for the most part a reliable custodian but here was another reminder that, a month short of his 39th birthday, Schmeichel is not the long-term solution for Celtic between the posts.
At the other end of the pitch, it wasn’t faring much better for the hosts. Sebastian Tounetki speared in an effort that Lukas Hornicek did well to parry but it arrived in isolation rather than as part of a cluster of chances.
Iheanacho was diligent again through the middle, with Daizen Maeda and Tounekti bright on either flank, but a Braga defence that included one-time Celtic cast-off, Gustaf Lagerbielke, rarely looked under any real sustained pressure.
Looking to breathe life into his side, Rodgers replaced Colby Donovan with Marcelo Saracchi at half-time and switched to a back three. Maeda’s energy was put to good use as a right wingback.
That bold approach looked to have paid instant dividends when Iheanacho capitalised on a Braga mistake before finishing only for VAR to decide – eventually – that the striker had controlled the ball with a hand in the process.
Celtic frustration at that call was augmented when replays appeared to show the ball glancing off Iheanacho’s head or shoulder rather than his arm. If VAR was brought in to remove these sorts of errors then chalk this one up as another system malfunction.
The incident did at least finally properly ignite a contest that had been merely simmering until that point. Both teams traded chances, with Pau Victor shooting just wide for Braga after a rare Cameron Carter-Vickers mistake before Kieran Tierney and Tounetki were both denied by spectacular Hornicek saves.
Instead a second Braga goal late on summed up Celtic’s night, Gabri Martinez’s shot cannoning off Liam Scales and sitting up nicely for the substitute to convert from close range.
Celtic fall to 2-0 home defeat against SC Braga
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/october/02/celtic-fall-to-2-0-home-defeat-against-braga/
First Team
By Matthew Campbell
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02 Oct 2025, 8:09 pm
UEFA Europa League
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Celtic Park
CELTIC…0
SC BRAGA…2
(Horta 20, Martinez 85)
Celtic were defeated 2-0 by Portuguese side SC Braga at Celtic Park tonight, with the away side grabbing a goal in each half to take all three points.
Celtic started the match brightly, clearly looking to make the home advantage count and cause problems for the visitors in the opening stages.
Sebastian Tounekti on the left wing was causing a host of problems for former Celt. Gustaf Lagerbielke, and with just over 10 minutes played, the Celtic winger forced a saved from the Braga keeper.
That effort on target came after a brilliant piece of play between Iheanacho and Bernardo in the middle of the park, and the visitors had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping the scoreline level.
After surviving that Celtic attack, the away side began to grow in to the game, sending a few balls in to the box, one of which landed at the feet of Vitor Carvalho at the back post, but the midfielder put his effort wide of the target.
With just over 20 minutes gone, Braga took the lead after their captain, Ricardo Horta unleashed a strike from distance. His ball took a fierce dip towards Kasper Schmeichel, and the Celtic keeper will be disappointed that he couldn’t keep it out of the net, albeit it was a well-struck effort.
That goal seemed to take the wind out of Celtic’s sails, and although the Hoops tried to build their momentum up again for the remainder of the first half, they went in 1-0 behind at the break.
56%
Possession
44%
9
Shots
13
3
Shots On Target
6
7
Corners
5
15
Fouls
9
2
0
Cards
1
0
Brendan Rodgers made a change at half-time, bringing Marcelo Saracchi on for Colby Donovan and changing to a back three.
Much like the first half, Celtic started on the front foot and early in the second period, Kelechi Iheanacho had the ball in the net after using his strength to break away from two Braga defenders and tuck the ball into the bottom corner.
The referee, however, claimed that Iheanacho had handled the ball in the build-up and the goal wasn’t given. None of the replays of the incident appeared to show the forward touching the ball with his hand at any point, but the goal was still ruled out.
Brendan Rodgers’ side continued to hunt for the equaliser, and just after the hour mark, Kieran Tierney found himself free at the back post as he headed the ball towards goal, but the Braga keeper produced a great save to keep it out.
And the keeper was on hand again 15 minutes later with another superb save to deny Sebastian Tounekti who had weaved in to the box and curled a shot towards the far post.
However, with five minutes left on the clock, Gabri Martinez made it 2-0 to Braga from inside the Celtic penalty area. He had a couple of efforts blocked in the lead-up to his goal, which came as the ball deflected off of him and into the back of the net from a clearance. It was a goal which, so late in the game, effectively put the match beyond the Celts.
Celtic: Schmeichel, Donovan (Saracchi 45′), Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney (Murray 81′), Nygren (Engels 67′), McGregor, Paulo Bernardo (Hatate 67′), Maeda (Forrest 77′), Iheanacho, Tounekti
Subs: Trusty, Balikwisha, Sinisalo, Hyunjun Yang, McCowan, Kenny, Engels, Saracchi, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Ralston
Braga: Hornícek, Lagerbielke, Vítor Carvalho, Arrey-Mbi, Yanis da Rocha (Gómez 45′), Gorby, Grillitsch (João Moutinho 65′), Leonardo Lelo, Ricardo Horta (Zalazar 70′), Víctor (Diego Rodrigues 71′), El Ouazzani (Martínez 82′)
Subs: Gómez, Niakaté, João Moutinho, Zalazar, Tiago Sá, João Marques, Bellaarouch, Navarro, Diego Rodrigues, João Aragão, Martínez, Sandro Vidigal
Brendan Rodgers: We’re in a frustrating moment where we can’t find the goal
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/october/02/brendan-rodgers–/
First Team
By Matthew Campbell
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02 Oct 2025, 8:42 pm
It was a frustrating night for Celtic at home this evening, as the Hoops were defeated 2-0 by Portuguese side SC Braga.
A strike from distance midway through the first half and a goal with five minutes remaining gave the visitors all three points, despite Celtic showing creative and intensity in the early part of each half.
Five minutes in to the second period, Kelechi Iheanacho had the ball in the net and it looked like he had grabbed Celtic an equaliser, but the goal was ruled out and, speaking to Celtic TV after the match, Brendan Rodgers expressed his confusion as to why the goal wasn’t given.
“We’re still waiting to hear what the reason was,” the Celtic manager said. “It was a pivotal moment in the game.
“We started the game well, and after 20 minutes, when they get the goal, I thought they then controlled the rest of the first half.
“We changed the structure of the team at half time, we were more aggressive and then we get the goal.
“For the life of me, I don’t understand why it wasn’t given because it’s not even close to being a handball. We’re still waiting on an explanation for that decision.”
Tonight’s result means that after two Europa League matches, the Celts have picked up one point thanks to last week’s 1-1 draw in Belgrade.
Despite the frustration at the result, Celtic still created a number of chances which, had they gone in, would have given the game a different complexion.
The Celtic manager reflected on those moments as he explained the importance of a victory in the next Europa League outing.
He added: “Their keeper has made a fantastic save from Sebastian Tounekti and we’ve arrived in to good areas and they’ve blocked it well.
“We’re just in a moment where we can’t find the goal or get the break that you need. It’s definitely frustrating that we didn’t get something from the game.
“You want to win your home games and we didn’t do that tonight. We can’t blame anyone else but ourselves.
“We need to now get ready for the weekend and after the break we’ll have Sturm Graz. If we’re going to make any real impact in the competition, we’ll have to win that game.”
BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1798ndlzj0t#Report
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
Celtic suffered further European disappointment as goals in each half earned Sporting Braga victory in a chaotic Europa League encounter at Parkhead.
Kasper Schmeichel had an error-strewn game in goal and failed to keep out Ricardo Horta’s early long-range effort, which stunned the Celtic Park crowd into silence.
The Dane then did well to keep out a late shot but was helpless when the ball battered off Gabri Martinez in a botched clearance and rebounded into the net to seal all the points.
After their Champions League qualification failure against Kairat Almaty, and an opening Europa League draw with Red Star Belgrade, this continued Celtic’s disappointing start tp their European campaign.
In fact, so sharp has been the drop-off since last season, that Brendan Rodgers’ side may struggle to qualify for the latter stages of the Europa League unless they can find their way again, and quickly.
‘Resilient Tierney has another fight on his hands’
Published
13 hours ago
Latest Celtic news, views & analysis
This was a match Braga dominated for long spells in the first half, prompting Rodgers to change his formation after the break in the hope that a back three and extra men in the middle might solidify his side.
The Scottish champions showed improvement thereafter and thought they had equalised when Kelechi Iheanacho calmly slotted home after a mistake from the Braga backline.
His celebrations were ended by referee Tobias Stieler blowing for handball, a decision backed up by a lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) check.
Braga then had goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek to thank for two super stops as Celtic ramped up the pressure in search of an equaliser.
First, he leapt to his left to keep out a Kieran Tierney header, before hurling himself to the other corner to tip away Sebastian Tounekti’s curling effort which looked destined for the net.
After the change of formation, Rodgers then threw on several substitutes – including Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and James Forrest – but no-one could conjure the quality to find the goal Celtic needed.
Analysis: Celtic’s European hangover continues
Celtic showed they’re not good enough for the Champions League by failing to score in 210 minutes against Kazakh side Kairat.
Their credentials for the Europa League have now been given a thorough examination by the side sitting seventh in the Portuguese top flight.
Braga are a decent side, and have now beaten both Celtic and Feyenoord in their opening matches in this league phase.
They’re far from an elite European outfit, though, and this defeat will sting for Celtic if they have any ambitions to be playing in the competition’s knock-out phase.
Celtic lack of goals stats graphic
One point from the first available half dozen will not do, and there was a certain chaos and vulnerability about Rodgers’ men which the manager will not have liked.
His team were so comprehensively outplayed for much of the first half that he even abandoned his trusted 4-3-3 formation to go to a back three with wing-backs.
It couldn’t inspire a goal and this toothless aspect to Celtic will trouble the manager. They couldn’t stop scoring last season. It’s a real struggle for them this term.
What next for Celtic?
Celtic are back to domestic business on Sunday, with Jens Berthel Askou’s new-look Motherwell making the trip to Glasgow on Scottish Premiership duty (15:00 BST).
Player of the match
Number: 1 L. Horníček
Average rating 7.94
Celtic
(active)
Sporting Braga
Number: 23 S. Tounekti
Average Rating: 5.26
Number: 17 K. Ịheanachọ
Average Rating: 4.61
Number: 5 L. Scales
Average Rating: 4.04
Number: 20 C. Carter-Vickers
Average Rating: 3.95
Number: 36 M. Saracchi
Average Rating: 3.94
Number: 63 K. Tierney
Average Rating: 3.85
Number: 51 C. Donovan
Average Rating: 3.84
Number: 28 Paulo Bernardo
Average Rating: 3.63
Number: 42 C. McGregor
Average Rating: 3.61
Number: 38 D. Maeda
Average Rating: 3.52
Number: 41 R. Hatate
Average Rating: 3.31
Number: 8 B. Nygren
Average Rating: 3.31
Number: 27 A. Engels
Average Rating: 3.26
Number: 49 J. Forrest
Average Rating: 3.19
Number: 47 D. Murray
Average Rating: 3.09
Number: 1 K. Schmeichel
Average Rating: 2.51