Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026
Trivia
- KO: 15:00; Sunday, Sky Sports, league match 15
- Match between first v second in the league with prematch Hearts on top, both started joint on 32points.
- Wilfried Nancy – first match as manager of Celtic, he was newly appointed on Thursday just past.
- Pre-match: Benjamin Nygren insists Celtic are “the best team in the country” as he prepares for “probably the most important games we’ve had all season” against Hearts, Roma and St Mirren in the League Cup final.
- Paul Tisdale, Celtic’s head of recruitment, seen dozing off in the stands!
- A rule change by world governing body Fifa means Sebastian Tounekti of Tunisia, Michel-Ange Balikwisha from DR Congo and Kelechi Iheanacho from Nigeria will be available for Celtic’s Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren before being released to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations
- Celtic have banned all fan media from this afternoon’s press conference and have said they will review all access going forward.
- Scotland have been drawn against Brazil, Morocco and Haiti in the 2026 World Cup.
- Police investigating an “intimidation” campaign against Celtic directors and their families, with anti-board posters put up close to the homes of chairman Peter Lawwell, CEO Michael Nicholson, chief finance officer Chris McKay and head of security Mark Hargreaves.
- Reports:
- Celtic working behind the scenes to identify goalkeeper targets as they eye long-term replacements for 39-year-old Kasper Schmeichel. (If true then not a vote of confidence in Sinisalo whom some do rate).
- Fifteen-year-old defender Dara Jakiemi was left out of Scotland youth games as he prepares to leave Celtic for Liverpool
Summary
Joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki:
A disappointing start to the new regime. After the purple patch of five league wins in a row under interim manager Martin O’Neil, Celtic came down with a bump in the crunch match v an underpar Hearts which would have taken Celtic clear top of of the league, but now 3pts behind albeit Celtic have a game in hand (although +4 poorer goal difference). The momentum had been with Celtic with recent results whilst Hearts had the buffers badly.
A very wet rainy Sunday afternoon, with the Celtic players at fault for the result. They dominated the first half with Hearts doing little all the first half, and it felt that Celtic were being wasteful in front of goals, with only time before a goal was earned. However close to half-time, very poor defending gave Hearts a half-chance to score which they duly did, and everyone was stunned to see Celtic down.
The second half was a calamity despite lots of domination from Celtic, but in the final third of the pitch Celtic were awful, and another bit of poor defending from a corner gave Hearts an undeserved 2-0 lead, which incredibly almost was 3-0 later on. Celtic were hopeless with an injury time goal by Tierney being one to at least give something from the game.
Not a great start for Nancy but at least was demonstrating to him the challenge ahead of him. He was seen constantly working on a tactics board in his hand, and then explaining it to team captain McGregor to pass on tactics. It was good to see
but there were some disparaging comments online on this, but WGS used to do this often. English isn’t Nancy’s first language, and our accents can be a challenge. So if he can use the boards to get the msg across quick then fine, and happy to see him analysing the game and thinking.
BBC Martin Dowden BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park All credit to Hearts. The importance of this outcome cannot be overstated. Just when some were beginning to question the Tynecastle side after a run of frustrating results, they produced a big one and big performance too. This turned into the stuff of nightmares for Wilfried Nancy. Early on, he looked to have Celtic firing all over the pitch. By the end it was desperate. A landmark victory for Hearts. They have shown once again they’re a force.
“I try to keep going with what Martin O’Neill did and after that I’m going to add a few nuances.
“This is not about the system. This is about having a good attitude, playing with personality. We know this is a physical team so the idea is to play with intensity. We’re going to have to be stronger.
“We have to respect the concept. We know we have to respect also when we have the ball, when we don’t have the ball. [Hearts are] a good team, a physical team.
“The players have been really engaged. The pressure is not about the outcome. The pressure is the desire to compete. Are we going to be able to play with joy but the joy of competing. This is the most important. Are they going to be able to compete with themselves? And after that, we’ll see.
“I’m really happy to connect with the fans. I’m really also happy to be here and to create this new story with them.”
Nancy prematch
“Listen, I’m not about losing or winning. I’m about having a good performance,” said the Frenchman. “I want to win but for me it’s about individually what we can do better. The most important thing for me is if we give everything as a player individually. What can we do better when we attack and when we defend. What can we do better in terms of mindset and if we are better on that and if we do good things we’ll see the results. For me this doesn’t change anything and this is more about the way we’re going to keep going to work and then, step by step, I think that will be interesting.”
Nancy post-match
Inside The SPFL @AgentScotland · 17h Pretty easy win in the end for Hearts (again), they had to stay in the game first half but were the only team that looked like winning it in the 2nd half, crazy fixture to change tactics & team, that’s 100% on Nancy, doesn’t have players atm for it. No doubt MON wins that game. Mixed bag from Celtic, really aggressive and assertive in their play, tempo has been good as is their build up but the lack of quality in the final 3rd is killing them, Hearts just stayed in the game & got their rewards, defence switched off expecting an offside, Braga didn’t. Couldn’t see what Nancy was doing on the bench, looked like he was texting, I see now he was messing about on his tactics board, he was doing that for ages before Hearts 2nd goal, best team in the league at corners & scoring headers & Nancy was completely oblivious to the danger.
Bawman of KDS:
We came out in the first 20 minutes with the memory of the defeat at Tynecastle IMO
When we eventually settled down we started to look like we had just met at Brigton cross 20 minutes before kick off.
Today was ALL about formation and strategy. You cannot just walk into an environment at this level and reinvent the wheel. The pro game is so much quicker and physically demanding than anything any of us can begin to imagine. It all looks pretty obvious in your Sunday league team or on the telly but the professional game takes much more than people think.
You can’t just change it up like that on a whim. Not at this level of football and especially against a team so well drilled in how they want to play.
Players play in systems that are pounded into them. Where to pass, when to pass, the kind of pass. It’s all worked on relentlessly.
Our shape today was absolutely horrendous simply because you cannot do what Nancy tried to do.
I’m still bewildered at the balls and/or rampant stupidity it took to even think he could get away with it.
Obviously he needs to work this out. If he’s glued to his philosophy, particularly over the short term, I truly think he’s going to struggle massively.
For his sake, and ours, I hope he finds the balance this team needs to be effective.
FatBoab of KDS:
First half we were decent without being creative. Only real chance was a sitter that Maeda should score from. If he does, who knows.
Tounekti is a coward , terrified to take his man on, so why we kept giving him the ball beats me.
Their goal looked miles offside from my seat, but I’m assured he was on, but what are our defenders thinking? Half time comes and we are undeservedly behind.
Second half we lose the intensity, they sit deeper hoping to hit us on the break and our lack of creativity cruelly exposed.
Caught with a sucker punch from their only attempt of the half. We are merde at set pieces at both ends of the pitch.
Scales at least brightened up the afternoon with some comedy passing.
I left a minute from the end of added time, missed our goal and got fecked about by Scotrail, getting in the house at 7pm.
Aye, happy birthday indeed.
ElSalto of KDS:
Started well, but when you don’t put away glaring chances like Maeda’s two, it usually comes back to bite.
Everyone in the ground and watching on TV thought there was an offside at the first goal, turns out he was just on, but our defenders were caught out, standing appealing for a flag that was never raised. Second goal was just all sorts of poor defending, not tight enough on their man, easily outjumped, but that goal did come from a definite offside when Shankland went through and forced the save from Schmeichel.
I thought today was not the day for changes to formations, we simply looked confused by the system, and the defence got more nervous as the game progressed in second half. A second 45 of football that was up there with the worst displays in a season full of them. Every team in the League has given Hearts a game since they beat us last time, but once again we were found wanting. We couldn’t cope with their physicality, we couldn’t breach their packed defence, and we seriously struggled with the counter attacks. Only Yang and Tierney got a pass from me, and even then they weren’t brilliant. We have to win our game in hand, absolutely have to, because this Hearts team will no doubt sh*t the bed when they play sevco in a couple of weeks.
All in all, a dreadful afternoon, played out by a group of Celtic players who simply don’t have what it takes.
Teams
Celtic
Manager: Wilfried Nancy
Formation: 3 – 4 – 2 – 1
01 K. Schmeichel
63 K. Tierney
05 L. Scales
06 A. Trusty
23 S. Tounekti, subbed for L. McCowan at 59mins
27 A. Engels
42 C. McGregor (c), Captain
13 Yang Hyun-Jun 35′, Yellow Card at 35mins
41 R. Hatate
08 B. Nygren, subbed for J. Kenny at 65mins
38 D. Maeda
Subs:
51 C. Donovan
28 Paulo Bernardo
24 J. Kenny
14 L. McCowan
47 D. Murray
10 M. Balikwisha
56 A. Ralston
12 V. Sinisalo
17 K. Ịheanachọ
Goals: K. Tierney (90’+3)
Assists: D. Maeda (90’+3)
Hearts
Manager: Derek McInnes
Formation: 4 – 2 – 3 – 1
25 A. Schwolow
18 H. Milne 36′, Yellow Card at 36mins, subbed for S. Kingsley at 71mins
19 S. Findlay
04 C. Halkett, subbed for F. Kent at 77mins
15 M. Steinwender 62′, Yellow Card at 62mins
14 C. Devlin 60′, Yellow Card at 60mins
31 O. McEntee
10 Cláudio Braga, subbed for P. Kaboré at 78mins
22 T. Magnússon
89 A. Kyziridis, subbed for J. McCart at 71mins
09 L. Shankland (c), Captain, subbed for C. Borchgrevink at 85mins
Subs:
12 C. Borchgrevink
01 C. Gordon
07 E. Kabangu
11 P. Kaboré
27 S. Kartum
02 F. Kent
03 S. Kingsley
05 J. McCart
16 B. Spittal
Goals:
Cláudio Braga (43′)
O. McEntee (64′)
Assists :H. Milne (64′)
Referee Don Robertson
Video Assistant Referee Greg Aitken
Assistant Referee 1 David Roome
Assistant Referee 2 Ross MacLeod
Fourth Official Calum Scott
Assistant VAR Official Dan McFarlane
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
- Prior https://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/celtic-vs-hearts-pre-match-thread-sunday-7-decembe-t144031.html
- Match https://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/celtic-v-hearts-live-match-thread-ft-1-2-tierney-t144039.html
- Post https://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/celtic-v-hearts-post-match-thread-ft-1-2-tierney-t144041.html
- MoTM https://kerrydalestreet.co.uk/motm-v-hearts-t144042.html
Stats
Basic Stats
Overall possession
Celtic 72% Hearts 28%
Shots
Celtic 15 Hearts 8
Shots on target
Celtic 5 Hearts 3
Total touches inside the opposition box
Celtic 33 Hearts 15
Goalkeeper saves
Celtic 1 Hearts 4
Aerial duels won
Celtic 20 Hearts 16
Fouls committed
Celtic 9 Hearts 11
Corners
Celtic 5 Hearts 3
In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
Celtic 15 Hearts 8
Shots on target
Celtic 5 Hearts 3
Shots off target
Celtic 8 Hearts 4
Attempts out of box
Celtic 5 Hearts 1
Hit woodwork
Celtic 1 Hearts 0
Total offsides
Celtic 0 Hearts 4
Distribution
Total passes
Celtic 731 Hearts 280
Pass accuracy %
Celtic 85.9 Hearts 64.6
Backward passes
Celtic 106 Hearts 30
Forward passes
Celtic 236 Hearts 141
Total long balls
Celtic 38 Hearts 69
Successful final third passes
Celtic 189 Hearts 36
Total crosses
Celtic 27 Hearts 12
Defence
Total tackles
Celtic 19 Hearts 20
Won tackle %
Celtic 63.2 Hearts 50
Fouls committed
Celtic 9 Hearts 11
Total yellow cards
Celtic 1 Hearts 3
Total clearances
Celtic 15 Hearts 40
Pre Match Facts
Celtic have won 25 of their last 27 home league games against Heart of Midlothian, the exceptions being a 0-0 draw in September 2015 and a 0-2 defeat in December 2023.
Heart of Midlothian have won three of their last seven league games against Celtic (L4), including their most recent in October (3-1). Hearts had only won three of their previous 37 league matches versus the Hoops before this (D2 L32).
Celtic have only lost one of their last nine home league games against opponents starting the day top of the table (W6 D2), going down 2-0 against Rangers in October 2020. These nine games include a 5-0 win over Hearts in November 2018.
After scoring at least twice in each of their first five away league games of this season, Hearts have since drawn a blank in their last two on the road. They last went three successive away games without scoring in the Scottish Premiership in December 2019 (run of 6).
Daizen Maeda has been directly involved in 26 goals in the Scottish Premiership in 2025 (17 goals, 9 assists), the most by a Celtic player in a single calendar year since Ryan Christie in 2019 (14 goals, 12 assists). The last to score or assist more in a year for the club was Leigh Griffiths in 2016 (25 goals, 5 assists).
Articles
Celtic suffer 2-1 home defeat to Hearts
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/december/07/celtic-suffer-2-1-home-defeat-to-hearts/
First Team
By Matthew Campbell
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07 Dec 2025, 5:08 pm
Scottish Premiership
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Celtic Park
CELTIC…1
(Tierney 90 +3)
HEARTS…2
(Braga 44, McEntee 65)
Celtic were defeated 2-1 by Hearts at Celtic Park this afternoon, with the visitors scoring just before half-time and then midway through the second half to take all three points, with Kieran Tierney reducing the deficit late on.
Before kick-off, Wilfried Nancy was announced out of the tunnel and took the acclaim of the Hoops faithful who welcomed the new boss to the dugout for the first time.
Celtic carved out two big opportunities early in proceedings, both of which fell to Daizen Maeda. Kieran Tierney picked the forward out with a great through ball but Maeda, still sporting a head bandage after his knock against Dundee on Wednesday, was unable to really trouble the keeper with his shot. Seconds later he found himself with another chance from close range but this time his effort went just wide of the post.
As the half progressed, Celtic continued to control the game but were unable to find a route to goal, and encouraged by the fact that they were still level, and completely against the run of play, the visitors managed to find the opener just before half-time.
The ball was worked in to Celtic’s box and was cleared twice before it fell to the feet of Claudio Braga who sent a shot in to the bottom corner to give Hearts a 1-0 half-time lead.
72%
Possession
28%
15
Shots
8
5
Shots On Target
3
5
Corners
3
9
Fouls
11
1
0
Cards
3
0
The Hoops looked to start the second half with the same intensity and intent they had showed throughout the first 45 minutes, and just minutes after the restart, a well-worked move saw Reo Hatate feed the ball towards Sebastian Tounekti in the box, but the winger was unable to keep it in play.
With just under an hour gone, Wilfried Nancy made the first change of the afternoon, bringing Luke McCowan on in place of Sebastian Tounekti, as Celtic hunted for an opportunity to draw themselves level in the game.
Lawrence Shankland went close to doubling his side’s lead when Alexandros Kyziridis picked him out in the box, but his effort was well-saved by Kasper Schmeichel who turned it behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner, however, Hearts scored their second of the match. Harry Milne sent the ball deep in to the box and Oisin McEntee powered a headed finish in to the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Celtic came close to grabbing a goal back with five minutes left but the Hearts keeper made a good save after an Engels header from close range. Reo Hatate followed up with a powerful shot and was unlucky not to score, with his effort cannoning off the bar.
In stoppage time, Kieran Tierney scored a consolation goal when he found the back of the net from inside the box to make it 2-1.
Celtic: Schmeichel, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, Hyunjun Yang, McGregor, Engels, Tounekti (McCowan 59′), Nygren (Kenny 65′), Hatate, Maeda
Subs: Balikwisha, Sinisalo, McCowan, Iheanacho, Kenny, Paulo Bernardo, Murray, Donovan, Ralston
Hearts: Schwolow, Steinwender, Halkett (Kent 77′), Findlay, Milne (Kingsley 71′), McEntee, Devlin, Kyziridis (McCart 71′), Magnússon, Cláudio Braga (Kabore 78′), Shankland (Borchgrevink 85′)
Subs: Gordon, Kent, Kingsley, McCart, Kabangu, Kabore, Borchgrevink, Spittal, Kartum
Post-match reaction from the Celtic manager
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/december/07/wilfried-nancy–/
First Team
By Matthew Campbell
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07 Dec 2025, 5:48 pm
Wilfried Nancy’s first game as Celtic manager ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Hoops against Hearts at Paradise.
Celtic dominated most of the play in the first half and created a few good opportunities which, on another day, could have ended up in the back of the net.
A strike just before half time from Claudio Braga and a goal in the second half from Oisin McEntee gave Hearts the victory, with Kieran Tierney’s goal coming too late in the match to offer any hope of a Celtic comeback.
Speaking to Celtic TV after his first match in charge, Nancy reflected on those missed chances as he highlighted the positives from his point of view.
“We had a good first half,” he said. “We could have been cleaner in the final third because we had opportunities, but we missed a bit of the final pass and execution.
“I saw some really good things in terms of the mentality and intensity, but now we need to be cleaner when the moment comes.
“This isn’t the result that we wanted, but I saw good things and also some things that we need to improve.”
Celtic ‘not about winning or losing right now’ as Wilfried Nancy reacts to sore Hearts loss
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Chief Football Writer
2Comments
Published 7th Dec 2025, 18:50 GMT
Updated 7th Dec 2025, 19:13 GMT
Keep Watching
The Scotsman Football Show – Celtic 1-2 Hearts reaction
New Parkhead boss says season is long after Jam Tarts inflict loss on managerial bow
Wilfried Nancy stressed that it is not about losing or winning so early in his tenure after his coronation fell flat at Celtic Park against title rivals Hearts.
The Celtic manager watched as his new side tasted defeat for the first time domestically since the same opponents inflicted a 3-1 defeat at Tynecastle in October.
Much has happened since then, including the return of Martin O’Neill for a successful interim period. It meant the pressure was on Nancy even more than normal as his side sought to take outright leadership of the Premiership.
Goals from Claudio Braga and Oisin McEntee in either half proved a dose of reality after O’Neill’s run of seven victories in eight games. Despite Kieran Tierney’s stoppage-time finish, Hearts held on for a 2-1 win.
“Listen, I’m not about losing or winning. I’m about having a good performance,” said the Frenchman. “I want to win but for me it’s about individually what we can do better. The most important thing for me is if we give everything as a player individually. What can we do better when we attack and when we defend. What can we do better in terms of mindset and if we are better on that and if we do good things we’ll see the results. For me this doesn’t change anything and this is more about the way we’re going to keep going to work and then, step by step, I think that will be interesting.”
Nancy elected to play a 3-4-3 formation, which is how he preferred to set out in the MLS with his last club Columbus Crew. Hearts seemed to expect this and managed to negate the hosts’ threat to go three points clear at the top, although they have played a game more.
Celtic boss says season is so long
“Listen, the season is long,” said Nancy. “There are many games coming. So, OK, they have three points ahead. But for me, let’s control what we can control. Today, if I talk about the results, we conceded two goals because we could have done better on the first goal. So it’s on us.
“And the second goal, we could have done better. So this is what I call the performance. If we do better on this one, maybe they don’t score. So, again, for me, this is more about what we need to improve. And the season is so long. This is really, really long.”
He refuted the notion that Celtic switched off at the first goal, which was scored by Claudio Braga after he had looked to have returned from an offside position. Replays showed Arne Engels playing him on. The unmarked McEntee then thumped in a header from Harry Milne’s corner after 64 minutes.
“We were still in the game after the first goal,” said Nancy. “The second goal, again, I need to know a little bit more, from my players also. We played with urgency but sometimes we played with panic at the same time because we missed many passes.
“But again, because there is a good intention, good desire to go forward. Obviously, the first goal is disappointing. But when I look at the second goal, the way they scored, it could have been better. But again, this is part of football. Now, how can we come back from that? And I think that we can do better on this.”
It doesn’t get much easier for Nancy. AS Roma are the visitors in the Europa League on Thursday and then there’s a League Cup final against St Mirren three days later.
“I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “As a coach, again, my players did everything. So me, if we didn’t have the performance that we had, but we had a good performance at certain moments, it’s because I need to help them a little bit more. And I learned a lot of things today.”
‘Bit of both’: Inside Hearts’ informed Celtic guesswork and Magnusson-McGregor tactic that worked a treat
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Chief Football Writer
3Comments
Published 7th Dec 2025, 19:30 GMT
Keep Watching
The Scotsman Football Show – Celtic 1-2 Hearts reaction
McInnes sensed champions would follow different path under Nancy
Derek McInnes admitted he was aided by some informed guesswork after leading Hearts to a memorable 2-1 victory over Celtic to open up a three-point lead at the top of the Premiership.
The last time Hearts played Celtic, the opposition still had Brendan Rodgers as manager. Since then Martin O’Neill has taken interim charge and he made way for Wilfried Nancy, who barely had 48 hours to prepare for his first game. Rather than leave things as they were under O’Neill, he initially sent Celtic out in the 3-4-3 formation preferred when he was manager at previous club Columbus Crew. McInnes was alert to this.
“We understood that they were going to go with a back three, which is obviously a change and it’s the manager’s preferred system,” he explained. “We have studied the last two or three days, watching a lot of Columbus Crew and what they want to do. What they expect from their No 6s, what they expect from their 10s, what they expect from their wing-backs to play really high on that last line.
“So we felt well-prepared for that. It meant we needed to fill the middle of the pitch with bodies. Celtic have got a lot of good players in that central area, so we needed to make sure we were nice and solid through that part of it. We tried to play in the spaces between their outside centre-back and their winger because it’s quite a big distance at times.”
Asked if it was instinct on his part or intelligence received from elsewhere, he said: “Bit of both. Bit of both, to be honest. We thought they would commit to that.
“It’s the new manager, he wants to play his style, we understand that. And he’s probably got the players to play it in terms of plenty of midfield options. But we were never really sure. So we picked a team that would be able to adjust to Celtic’s normal shape and today. We didn’t go with any wingers on the bench today for that reason. Really, because we thought they would be the shape that they were. So we started one winger because they needed us to try and play in the gaps. But tactics, shapes and all that, sometimes it’s overplayed. I think it was just a lot of other stuff that got the job done today.”
Magnusson’s role key for Hearts
Character, desire and no little skill were significant factors, as symbolised by the performance of man of the match Cammy Devlin. McInnes also praised Devlin’s fellow midfielder Tomas Bent Magnusson. “We asked him to annoy the life out of Callum McGregor,” he said. “Run off him and try and get in the box and carry a threat.”
McInnes stressed that if Hearts can’t draw belief they can win the title from beating Celtic at their own home, they’ll never get it. “We had to pick ourselves up off the floor after Kilmarnock the other night, losing a late goal and a mistake,” he said.
“If we’d reversed that and won against Kilmarnock and drawn a game here, it would have been seen as decent work. But the fact that obviously Celtic’s closest to us in the league and we’ve won the game, it’s nice for the players to be rewarded for the work they do.”
As for the doubters, who were preparing to write off Hearts after just one win in their last six league fixtures, he said: “I actually don’t care. I genuinely don’t care what any of you say. Because we’ve never been as good as you’ve said. And I don’t think we’re as bad as people have said.”
BBC
At a glance
Nancy loses first game as Celtic manager as Hearts move clear at top
Braga strikes Hearts opener after staying onside and robbing McGregor
McEntee heads second after controversial corner before late Tierney reply
ByAndy Campbell
BBC Scotland
Sportscene: Celtic v Hearts highlights
07/12/25
Watch on iPlayer
Hearts ruined Wilfried Nancy’s debut as Celtic manager with victory in Glasgow to move three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Claudio Braga, who the hosts thought was offside, robbed Callum McGregor and tucked away the visitors’ surprise opener. Braga was played onside by Arne Engels.
And Oisin McEntee emphatically headed Derek McInnes’ side into a 2-0 lead from Harry Milne’s corner.
However, there was a suspicion of offside against Lawrence Shankland when winning the set piece.
Engels was denied by a stunning Alexander Schwolow save and, in the aftermath, Reo Hatate volleyed against the crossbar.
Celtic eventually registered through Kieran Tierney’s added-time strike.
Celtic have a game in hand over Hearts, as do Rangers. Motherwell and the Ibrox side trail Celtic by six points following Saturday wins.
A raft of changes pitched more and more Celtic players in attacking roles late in the game and Nancy was regularly seen issuing instructions to captain McGregor.
McInnes’ men were ever more galvanised as the match wore on, however, getting first to the ball to break up attacks and always poised ready to mount counter attacks. They make it successive wins over Celtic in the league this term.
Analysis: Celtic’s new shape undone by gutsy Hearts
Nancy set up with a 3-4-3 like his Columbus Crew days, breaking with the back four tradition of Celtic predecessors Martin O’Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou.
In practice, that meant left-sided defenders Auston Trusty, Liam Scales and Tierney acting as the last line of defence with Yang Hyun-Jun and Tounekti set up as wing-backs and midfielders Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate supporting striker Maeda.
Much like Postecglou’s tenure, Celtic were aggressive early on, making it difficult for their opponents to get out.
Quality in the final ball was lacking in the opening half, however, and attempts at goal in the second period did little to trouble Schwolow, until Tierney smashed home a loose ball.
It should be noted, though, that injured players like Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Jota will likely fit more naturally into this new formation.
Wilfried Nancy and his tactics board with Callum McGregorImage source, PA Media
Image caption,
Wilfried Nancy and his tactics board with Callum McGregor
BBC Sportsound pundit Ryan Stevenson said his former club Hearts needed to try and get in behind Celtic’s new defensive shape and, when they did, Milne’s dangerous cross was cleared as Shankland lurked.
However, when their first big chance presented itself, they pounced. Braga was on his own after Kyziridis headed forward, Braga knocked on, Milne mis-hit and Braga dispossessed McGregor to find the net.
While Hearts celebrated, all in sundry expected a flag to be raised or VAR to disallow the goal but replays showed Arne Engels was behind Braga at the first phase.
And, while awarded after a tight offside call, the corner from which McEntee scored was poorly defended by the hosts, the Hearts man showing all the necessary desire.
As Stevenson observed: “They’ve actually been outfought by Hearts. Hearts wanted it more.”
Podcast: Sportsound reaction as Hearts beat Celtic
07/12/25
Listen on Sounds
What they said
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy: “This is not about the system. We started one way in the first half and the second half, we kept going and towards the end, it was not the same system.
“This is more about to check if we play with personality, to check what we can do better to unbalance the low block, what can we do better to avoid the two goals that we conceded? We had really good moments and we had moments we have to improve on.
“We conceded the goal but to be honest, I felt that it didn’t change the attitude of the players. We pushed a little bit more but we conceded the second goal and after that we started to rush. We put a lot of crosses inside the box knowing that they are so big. We could’ve been a little bit better to combine and attack a different way.
“I was pleased with the mentality. The performance was really interesting. Defensively, we were really good but we missed the few opportunities.”
Hearts manager Derek McInnes: “We wanted a positive result. On the day, we had to do a lot right. There was loads that I liked about my team. You’ve got to think as if you’ve won the game before you’ve won and carry yourself that way and I thought we did that.
“We had something to hang on to after Claudio’s goal just before half-time I thought we deserved at the moment. Oisin gets the second goal. We defended well, we adapted to Celtic throwing two strikers on and trying to put four on our last line.
“We turned to a five. We defended the box brilliantly apart from two moments, when Engels hits off the bar and the goal from Kieran Tierney.
“We’re well into December now. The players shouldn’t doubt themselves, shouldn’t doubt what we are. Once we come out the second round of fixtures, you’ve got a rough idea of where you are. To beat Celtic home and away takes a lot of doing. Hopefully, we can keep winning games.”
Nancy suffers nightmare debut as his Celtic challenge laid bare
Wilfried NancyImage source, SNS
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/crl9ze93293o
Celtic’s new manager suffered a damaging defeat in his opening outing against Hearts
ByMartin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Published
7 December 2025
Sportscene: Celtic v Hearts highlights
07/12/25
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An opportunity for instant impact or an immediate set back.
High stakes that backfired as Hearts left Glasgow with a three-point lead at the top of the table after their stunning 2-1 victory.
The timing of Wilfried Nancy’s appointment as Celtic’s new manager midweek had raised some questions, particularly given the run of results interim-manager Martin O’Neill enjoyed.
Level on points ahead of this top-of-the-table meeting with a game in hand. Some thought it prudent for O’Neill to see out this crucial week against Hearts, Roma and the Premier Sports cup final against St Mirren.
The argument was that change may disrupt momentum. It seemingly has.
Others put forward the idea that Nancy needed to get in, assess this squad ahead of the January window and implement his vision. He may have learned a lot in one game.
Nancy influence bears little impact
This was always going to be a big test of Celtic’s recent progress and for the new man in charge in a baptism week full of big tests.
Little time to implement change but the chance to go clear in the league was there for the taking with a game in hand.
It was opportunity missed despite an opening that suggested Celtic had been reinvented immediately. In truth, aside from a bright start, few could argue at the outcome.
“The big talking point will be the change of formation,” said former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner.
“The first 20 minutes was maybe what he wanted, the speed, the counter-press, but you need to maintain that.
“When it comes to breaking down opponents in a compact area, they have been lacking for quite a while now.”
A switch to a back three with Hyunjun Yang and Sebastian Tounekti deployed wide but well advanced. Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate slightly more central dropping into space.
It was a big ask for everything to click straight away. However, in the opening quarter, they looked rampant. The home crowd were loving the energy and intensity of their team and new manager.
He camped on the touchline throughout the first half. Time and again he urged them to go forward on the ball. No passing sideways, progress quickly either short or long.
Very promising and Hearts looked on the ropes. When Daizen Maeda got in he seemed certain to score. He didn’t and, gradually, everything turned.
Wilfried Nancy Image source, SNS
What went wrong for Celtic & Nancy?
The first part is down to Hearts. They were wonderfully strong and gradually adapted. They got a grip of this and took control, even when in defensive mode. They deserve an incredible amount of praise and have firmly reminded everyone what a good side they are.
Maeda’s miss was crucial. Derek McInnes said pre-match that he knew they would have to absorb pressure. They did and then punished their hosts.
For all Celtic’s early swashbuckling, it absolutely evaporated. They lost the intensity. The bravery was gone.
Increasingly, they looked a little lost on such a big, big occasion, despite Kieran Tierney’s injury time strike.
“This is not about the system,” Nancy told BBC Scotland post match when quizzed on its impact.
“We started one way in the first half. And the second half, we kept going. Towards the end, it was not the same system.
“This is more about to check if we play with personality, to check what we can do better to unbalance the low block, what can we do better to avoid these two goals that we conceded.”
Celtic’s starting XI average positionImage source, Opta
Image caption,
Celtic’s starting XI average position
It took until the final minutes for the home side to genuinely look like scoring. When they did, the game was lost, despite striking the crossbar shortly before their goal.
It would be unfair to level much criticism on Nancy this early. He did suggest he would look at nuanced changes in the short term. Perhaps he got a little too ambitious too early.
“They definitely need a striker and a winger on the right. After today the heads are down,” added Bonner.
“You’ve got to break down opposition, you’ve got to move opposition. In that final third, Celtic were absolutely void of ideas.
“When they went two goals behind, it was gone. I just couldn’t see them getting back into the game.
“Now Wilfried Nancy knows exactly some of the deficiencies that he has to work on. He’s got to replace some players, he’s got to get players in in the January window.
“They have a real fight on their hands to win this championship now.”
What was the reaction in the stands?
After his first outing at Celtic Park, Nancy had experienced both sides of the crowd.
The early embers of his reign had fans off their seats. They were absolutely loving what they were seeing. It just lacked a goal.
Then almost everything was lacking as Hearts seized on their opportunity and the home support grew increasingly exasperated.
“I have many, many good things that I can show them [the players],” Nancy insisted.
“We need, obviously, to adjust on certain things but I was pleased with the mentality.
“I think that with more connection, with more relation, we’re going to be able to do it like we did in the first half.”
“We want to give emotion to the fans and they have the right to challenge us and to support us. I’m fine with that.”
Wilfried Nancy’s low-key Celtic unveiling – but his start can be anything but
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
Published 5th Dec 2025, 21:00 GMT
Updated 6th Dec 2025, 09:26 GMT
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New manager exudes excitement and passion ahead of fast and furious start
Normally the occasion of a Celtic managerial unveiling takes centre stage, but there was a low-key element to Wilfried Nancy’s coronation.
Celtic Park is traditionally the venue for such an event. Not this time. We got our first glimpse of Nancy at the club’s training centre on Friday at Lennoxtown, in the shadows of the Campsies – and the World Cup draw. There was no chairman or chief executive to present him. That was left to the club’s comms director Iain Jamieson.
Not that Nancy can take the blame for timing and attendees, although the suspicion is that the 48-year-old wanted to keep everything close to the practice pitches when it came to location. After all, he has an awful lot of work to do, and not many hours to do it in.
Life will come at Nancy fast and furious. We have known for weeks that the Frenchman was the choice to replace Brendan Rodgers, who quit Celtic almost 40 days ago. In between now and then, Martin O’Neill so admirably filled in as caretaker that the champions have eradicated a nine-point gap between them and Hearts. Only goal difference separates them.
Nancy can go one step further on Sunday. He faces the Jam Tarts in his opening match – and that will be at Celtic Park. Win it and his team hits the summit.
A Europa League match against Roma on Thursday, followed by next weekend’s Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren at Hampden. It is a good thing Nancy is an energetic individual.
Snared from Columbus Crew in the MLS, the first impressions of Nancy were positive: engaging, passionate, enthusiastic and delighted to be at Celtic. Not so long ago, in the same chair, Rodgers would sit poring over ructions with the board and transfer woes. Nancy’s infectious smile certainly illuminated the room.
“This club is a club with passion and we play also for the fans, so it’s totally normal that if we don’t play well that they can say something,” Nancy said as he tried to address some of the disunity affecting fans amid anger with the board. “But the idea is also to please them and to give them emotion.
“I am a coach. The idea is to bring joy, with the way we’re going to play and the results that we’re going to have. This is the only thing that I can control. After that, I cannot do anything. I’m aware about this but the idea is to connect.”
Nancy’s job ‘is not a normal one’
Nancy stressed the need to be humble amid the pressure-cooker environment of Scottish football. The sport is about ups and downs, he said, not a flat line. He is not scared of losing. In his view, sometimes a backwards step can take you forward. The Le Havre native has clear ideologies.
“My job is not a normal job, with a lot of humility,” Nancy continued, stressing that Celtic feels like a perfect fit for him. “The life we have, it’s unbelievable. But at the same time, we know that there is a lot of pressure. But pressure is part of our life.
“I was really pleased to see people welcome me, everywhere. I hope that they’re going to stay like that! Before I came here, I knew that the demand was high, and I knew that everybody talked about winning. But I don’t know a competitor who likes to lose.
“I know that if I don’t do a good job, maybe after five games, or 10 games, it’s going to be like that. Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most titled coaches and he’s been fired, so I don’t have an issue with that because this is part of our job.
“My job is to be clear, to maximise our chance to win, and to find a way to be consistent, and obviously the outcome is to win trophies. But the outcome, I cannot control that. I control what we do every day on the pitch.”
Pressed on his style of play, Nancy offered up this response. “We want to play offensive football – but what does that mean offensive football?
“This is more about everybody wants to score goals and so on, but for me it’s about ‘proactivity’ – to try to put doubt in the opposition, try to attack as soon as possible and after that be disgusting to play against. We’re going to have moments when we suffer so we need to be good defensively.
“Again it’s step by step. I arrived two days ago we have two days to prepare the game [against Hearts], so this is the idea.”
Nancy said he has been impressed with the quality levels within the squad but admitted the players need confidence. O’Neill started the process, now he has to continue it. He also has the January transfer market on the horizon – although his immediate focus is on those already in the building.
“First of all, I’m going to have to assess the team and to know them a little bit better,” added Nancy when asked about transfers. “I know them as a player because I’ve watched them in games. Now this is about knowing them as a person, and after that we’ll see what is the best for the team.
“I like to take my time. I know that I don’t have a lot of time but the idea is to be coherent, programming the profile that we need. Obviously they anticipate different stuff already, it’s totally normal. We have to be ahead, if we are not ahead we’re going to be in trouble.
“So it doesn’t change. But I stop everything, because let me see what we have and, after that, we will adjust.”
The next week will give Nancy a far more comprehensive dossier on the squad. By that point, he could be top of the league, on the cusp of the Europa League knock-outs and have a trophy in the pocket. There would be nothing low-key about that start.
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