2025-12-30: Motherwell 2-0 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026

Trivia

KO: 20:00, Tuesday, Sky Sports
Last match of the calendar year.
Celtic second on 41pts/+15GD, 3 pts behind Hearts but both on 19games, and Hearts with +21GD. Sevco 3pts behind Celtic.
Rumours begin that Martin O’Neill to return (again) for 18mth spell to replace Nancy.
Celtic saviours Fergus McCann has been made an CBE for services to the economy and to charity, had a controlling stake in Celtic for five years from 1994. Lisbon Lion Jim Craig gets an OBE.
Reports:
Celtic are in the mix to land former Barcelona defender Julian Araujo, 24, if the Mexico international gets the green light to leave Bournemouth on loan.
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy wants to add a right-back, a right-sided centre-back, a right winger and a striker next month but faces stiff competition from Genk in the race to sign Ivory Coast winger Jocelin Ta Bi, 20, of Hapoel Petah Tikva.

Summary

“I’m confident with where we want to go. This was a tough game. But I think that we’re going to get better.”

Nancy

Joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki:
There’s no getting around this one. Disaster is putting it mildly, and if not already, then at this point you’d be lucky to find a Celtic supporter who genuinely was now keen on Nancy being retained.

Firstly, congratulations to Motherwell who have actually been doing incredibly well this season, and their manager is highly regarded. In this match, they controlled the match with Celtic all over the shop. Hardly, anything good to say from the Celtic front in this game, with little pressure. Motherwell schooled Celtic in this match, humiliating as it sounds.

Tom English (BBC): “There was only one team in it. Motherwell were class. I really enjoyed watching them – they passed it brilliantly and gave Celtic a proper schooling. Elijah Just, Elliot Watt, you could go on. They controlled the game and had zero fear of Celtic. They outplayed, outthought and outcoached Celtic. Wilfried Nancy is in a desperate hole. ”

: “It was not a good performance. We had difficulties today, while our opponents were connected. “The way we conceded the first goal, we can do better with the throw-in. “Except for one offence transition, they didn’t have chances, but they had the ball. In the second half we were a bit better, more aggressive, where we pushed and had more opportunities. “Tactically, the way they run together was interesting, when to press, when to stay. In the second half we were more front-footed. “My players want to do well, but we struggled a bit defensively in the first half. They are a team who want to unbalance their opponents. “We want to keep going, but this was a stop. This stop is going to allow us to be better collectively. “The message is getting across, but we faced adversity today and that is the reality, after that comes a bit of doubt. “I believe I saw good stuff, to press in the good moment and defend in the good moment. “We were not as connected as we have been tonight.” On his confidence of turning this run around: “Yes. I need to see my players, I need to see them in these situations, I need to rest some players. Now it is time to get better and keep working because it is the only thing we can control.”
Wilfried Nancy

Twitter:

Nancy – Played the same amount of domestic games as MON and have scored less and conceded more,

Nancy: 7 games. 0 clean sheets. We’re leaking 2 goals a game with this manager in charge. Defence is an absolute shambles. Winning nothing if this continues.

Jim62 of KDS:

I have said many times that I can accept being beaten.. there will be times we come up against better teams…. days when the opposition get lucky…. days when we are unlucky .. days when the ref ruins it

That was utterly and completely unacceptable.. genuinely embarrassing from start to finish .. seven games, not a single clean sheet and five defeats , three in the league .. if we’d taken just five points from those three league defeats we would be eight clear of Rangers and either four or five clear of Hearts

Our board have picked a manager who shouldn’t even have been on a 50 person long list .. he has no record of any achievement at all… his interviews are just rambling nonsense (I accept that is probably not helped by English not being his first language) .. there are at least three current Scottish Premiership managers who would have done better than Nancy … the players are a combination of utterly useless, totally baffled or have completely chucked it

He shouldn’t be allowed Saturday but our board are clearly in the “don’t back down, double down” stage of incompetence

He should be sacked tonight.. as should Tisdale and Nicholson and the board … let Maloney take interim charge while we find a competent board, CEO and Director of Football who know what the eff they’re doing and let them find a manager .. we should still win this league

Teams

Celtic

Manager Wilfried Nancy

Formation 03 – 4 – 1 – 2

1, K. Schmeichel
5, L. Scales, Yellow Card 74′
6, A. Trusty, Yellow Card 52′
56, A. Ralston, Yellow Card 56’C. Donovan 60′, subbed for C. Donovan at 60mins
63, K. Tierney, subbed for A. Engels at 46mins
28, Paulo Bernardo, subbed for S. Yamada at 46mins
2, C. McGregor (c), Captain
13, Yang Hyun-Jun, subbed for J. Forrest at 66mins
41, R. Hatate, Yellow Card 56′
38, D. Maeda, subbed for L. McCowan at 46mins
8, B. Nygren

Subs:

51, C. Donovan
27, A. Engels
49, J. Forrest
24, J. Kenny
14, L. McCowan
47, D. Murray
4, J. Simpson-Pusey
12, V. Sinisalo
18, S. Yamada

Goals:

Assists:

Motherwell

Manager Jens Berthel Askou

Formation 04 – 2 – 3 – 1

Starting lineup

13, C. Ward
22, J. Koutroumbis
16, P. McGinn (c), Captain
2, S. O’Donnell
7, T. Sparrow
20, E. Watt
25, O. Priestman, subbed for E. Longelo at 85mins
12, L. Fadinger
8, C. Slattery, subbed for Z. McAllister at 93mins
21, E. Just, subbed for C. Hendry at 75mins
90, I. Said, subbed for L. Ross at 93mins

Subs:

: Gordon, Balmer, Stamatelopoulos, Osong, Ross, Connelly, McAllister, Longelo, Hendry

Goals:

I. Said (14′)

E. Watt (58′)

Assists:

Ref:
Att:

Articles

Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Pictures

Match Links

Stats

…

Overall possession
Motherwell 43.3% Celtic 56.7%

Shots
Motherwell 11 Celtic 8

Shots on target
Motherwell 6 Celtic 3

Total touches inside the opposition box
Motherwell 13 Celtic 19

Goalkeeper saves
Motherwell 3 Celtic 4

Aerial duels won
Motherwell 10 Celtic 7

Fouls committed
Motherwell 7 Celtic 14

Corners
Motherwell 1 Celtic 3

In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
Motherwell 11 Celtic 8

Shots on target
Motherwell 6 Celtic 3

Shots off target
Motherwell 2 Celtic 2

Attempts out of box
Motherwell 3 Celtic 2

Total offsides
Motherwell 3 Celtic 2

Distribution
Total passes
Motherwell 465 Celtic 594

Pass accuracy %
Motherwell 85.6 Celtic 88.4

Backward passes
Motherwell 90 Celtic 95

Forward passes
Motherwell 156 Celtic 143

Total long balls
Motherwell 51 Celtic 45

Successful final third passes
Motherwell 59 Celtic 149

Total crosses
Motherwell 7 Celtic 17

Defence
Total tackles
Motherwell 16 Celtic 16

Won tackle %
Motherwell 62.5 Celtic 50

Fouls committed
Motherwell 7 Celtic 14

Total yellow cards
Motherwell 0 Celtic 4

Total clearances
Motherwell 16 Celtic 19

Match Facts
Motherwell are winless in their last 35 meetings with Celtic in all competitions (D5 L30) since a 2-1 league win in December 2015.

Celtic have won each of their last 11 away games at Motherwell in all competitions by an aggregate score of 36-7, scoring 2+ goals in all 11 wins.

Motherwell are without a win in their last 31 league matches against reigning Scottish champions (D7 L24) since a 2-1 away win over Celtic in December 2015. At home, the Steelmen have lost each of their last 10 league games versus defending champions, conceding 35 goals in the process.

Motherwell have only lost their final league game of a calendar year in one of the last four years (W2 D1), a 0-3 defeat at Rangers in 2022. They last faced Celtic to finish off a year in 2010, losing 1-0.

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda has been directly involved in 30 goals in 33 Scottish Premiership appearances in 2025 (18 goals, 12 assists). Since Opta have this data available (from 2013-14), the only players to record more goal involvements in a single calendar year in the competition are Anthony Stokes (31 in 2014) and Leigh Griffiths (32 in 2015).

Articles

Wilfried Nancy unconvincing amid claims Rangers clash will not define his Celtic future

Alan Pattullo

By Alan Pattullo

Chief Football Writer

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/wilfried-nancy-unconvincing-amid-claims-rangers-clash-will-not-define-his-celtic-future-5459079Published 31st Dec 2025, 07:00 GMT

Keep Watching

Motherwell 2 Celtic 0

Watch More

Frenchman confident he can turn things around but words unlikely to inspire confidence

Wilfried Nancy does not believe Saturday’s vital Old Firm clash against Rangers will define his future.

Unthinkably, a defeat at Parkhead this weekend would be the new manager’s sixth loss in eight matches since taking over at Celtic. His fifth, against Motherwell, might have been the worst yet. Even Nancy struggled to draw any positives from a night where the visitors were second best from start to finish, falling to a goal in each half from Ibrahim Said and Elliot Watt.

The Frenchman stressed again that he is confident he can turn things around. There was some positivity from recent back-to-back wins over Aberdeen and Livingston but things unravelled badly against Motherwell. Rangers can now draw level on points with their rivals on Saturday with a win. Hearts remain three points ahead of Celtic at the top having played the same number of games.

“Each game for me is important and for the team is important,” Nancy said, when asked about the upcoming clash with Rangers. “I don’t think about my future. I think about what I do now and what I need to do to improve the team and what we need to do also to improve the team.”

January cannot come quickly enough. Nancy expects to be given the backing he needs to make an extensive overhaul of the squad. “We are working on that,” he said, when asked specifically about recruitment. “This is the idea.”

But there has to be huge doubt over the manager’s long-term future once again. While some of the noise surrounding him had died down in recent days, the defeat at Fir Park and especially the manner of it felt like a huge step back. “It was a tough night,” he conceded. “We faced a good team, who are collectively really good. I knew that today could be a bit difficult because of the way we play and the way we are at the moment. I think the first half they unbalanced us at certain moments, we were in between when to press and when to be patient. We lost the first goal from a throw-in and a cross. We can do better on that one. We did not create much.

“In the second half we were more collective, this is what we did better. We had few opportunities but it was difficult to score.”

He revealed he had always intended to take Kieran Tierney and Daizen Maeda off at half time, when Celtic were trailing to a header from Said. Paulo Bernardo was also withdrawn.

“It was planned,” he said. “They were tired. They have run a lot, they have done the most sprints since we have come in. We were concerned physically with that. I do not want them to be injured.”

Reminded it was now five losses in seven since he joined from Columbus Crew, he said that it wasn’t something he wanted, obviously. “I’m confident about where we want to go,” he said. “The reality is, where we are at the moment, this was a tough game, it was difficult for us. But I think that we’re going to get better.”

They are not words likely to inspire confidence. The way he was speaking felt almost defeatist, as if losing at Motherwell was not the big deal it clearly was. After all, the hosts, good team though they are under Jens Berthel Askou, had not celebrated a home win over Celtic since 2013.

Nancy was reminded that Motherwell have a tiny budget when compared to the Parkhead club. “I understand that,” he said. “But for me, there is a context, there is a fact. This is the reality.

“I’m not saying that I’m not an underdog,” he added. “I told you that before. When we play a game, we want to win the game. But the reality at this moment is, for this game, we didn’t have a good game.

“After that, we can talk about budget. Yes, I know where I am. I know the club that I work with. I know that perfectly. I can understand the concern. But at this moment, this is the reality.”

The reality is Celtic risk falling to third place on Saturday if they lose by more than three goals against Rangers. Fans are revolting and the toxicity will be at another level if Celtic play as poorly this weekend as they did here. Asked if he saw any signs of progress in the game just finished, he sought to come up with something. It was not convincing.

“There was a moment,” he said. “But again, this is not enough, regarding what we wanted to do. This is the first time since I’m here that we struggled a lot. And this is the reality for this game. Previously, we had good moments, good opportunities. We are working to be more consistent. And we’re going to do certain things in the future to be also more consistent. But for the moment, yes, I can understand the concern. But this is the reality.”

Asked if he understood the enormity of his first Old Firm game, which probably couldn’t come at a worse time, he said he did. “It’s a rivalry,” he said. “Celtic against Rangers. I know that this is a rivalry game. I know what it means. And we play this game. I do this job also for that, to play this kind of game. And we’re going to play with passion. We know what it means to play a rivalry game. So again, tonight is tonight. We’re going to have more days to prepare for the game, and to rest also, and to face this team.”

When asked if it was a must-win game, he stressed that it was. But then there’s already been a few of those, including a cup final against St Mirren, when Celtic failure has seemed unthinkable.

Are Nancy’s ‘uncomfortable’ Celtic ready for Old Firm?

Wilfried NancyImage source, SNS

Image caption,

Wilfried Nancy has lost five of his first seven games as Celtic manager

ByAmy Canavan

BBC Sport Scotland

Published

31 December 2025

A limp first loss to Hearts was followed by a lesson from Roma. Dismantled by St Mirren in the League Cup final, they were then picked apart by Dundee United.

Back-to-back victories, where seven goals were scored against Aberdeen and Livingston, hinted at green shoots of hope for Wilfried Nancy and Celtic.

But on Tuesday, Motherwell trampled those into the Fir Park turf as the reigning Scottish champions delivered one of the worst performances yet during the Frenchman’s short, but chaotic, tenure.

A fifth defeat in his opening seven games – a run in which he is still to record a clean sheet – puts Nancy under pressure again.

After a 17th loss of 2025, the champions hirple into Saturday’s second league Old Firm derby of the season at Celtic Park knowing Rangers – despite their own dismal start of the season – can move level on points with a win.

That was an unfathomable prospect a matter of months ago, but in Celtic’s cataclysmic fall, autumn feels like a lifetime ago.

Now, Nancy surely needs a win – and a convincing one – to kick off the new year on the right note.

While the sample size is small, Nancy must have arrived at Fir Park with the biggest spring in his step to date as Celtic boss.

Leaving Livingston with three points after a ridiculous game on Saturday, in the wake of victory over Aberdeen, had quietened down the early clamour for his exit.

Pre-match, Nancy stressed he was “seeing improvements” all the time.

Met with a raised eyebrow then, heads would have been shaking at such a statement after Celtic were schooled by a magnificent Motherwell, who were expertly guided by Jens Berthel Askou.

The Motherwell manager predicted on Sportsound pre-match it would be “a great game of football, dynamic, intense and high-tempo at times”.

Only the home side lived up to those expectations as they overpowered their visitors in every department.

“Celtic want to play the way Motherwell did,” former Rangers defender Alan Hutton said on Premier Sports following the Lanarkshire side’s first win over Celtic in 35 attempts.

“Celtic are second best, chasing shadows, schooled. On the park and off it,” agreed ex-Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart.

Graphic

“Progress, there is progress,” Nancy told the media post-match. “But tonight, again, where we are, and the opposition that we faced was difficult.

“This is the reality. I’m not accepting that, I’m not saying I accept that. I’m saying that this is a fact.”

By the Celtic manager’s own admission, then, his side couldn’t handle Motherwell. A Motherwell team who were beaten – albeit narrowly – at Rangers on Saturday.

While football is far from as straightforward as that, the wider point stands that Danny Rohl’s side will make the trip to the east end with enthusiasm. After all, the blueprint for success at Fir Park was not rocket science.

They hounded Celtic and didn’t allow the champions to create anything until deep in the second half when they already had a two-goal cushion.

“Motherwell know what they’re doing, they’re comfortable with it,” Stewart added. “Celtic are a side who are far from comfortable.”

Celts fail to break down resilient Motherwell side

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/december/30/celts-fail-to-break-down-resilient-motherwell-side/

First Team

By Daylin Docherty

30 Dec 2025, 10:07 pm

Scottish Premiership

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Fir Park, Motherwell

MOTHERWELL…2

(Said 14 & Watt 58)

CELTIC…0

Celtic ended 2025 with a difficult defeat at Fir Park, as goals from Ibrahim Said and Elliot Watt gave the Steelmen their first victory over the Hoops since 2015.

Wilfried Nancy made four changes from the entertaining affair in West Lothian on Saturday, citing freshness, with a possible eye on Saturday’s Glasgow derby in the New Year. Kasper Schmeichel returned in goal, with Liam Scales, Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate also coming back into the starting XI.

From the early exchanges it was clear that Jens Berthel Askou was not going to let his side sit off the champions, although Celtic did get an early sight of goal. A well-worked move ended with Anthony Ralston picking out Yang in the box, but his looping header drifted over.

It was the home side who drew first blood after 14minutes. From a throw-in, Stephen O’Donnell delivered a superb cross on to the head of Said, and the Nigerian forward, peeling off the shoulder of Auston Trusty, nodded beyond Schmeichel.

Motherwell then threatened to double their advantage. Elijah Just wriggled on to the ball and shaped a curling effort with his left foot. It had Schmeichel beaten, but drifted just wide of the far post.

Bernardo then had a chance to deliver into the Motherwell area in a first half dominated by the Steelmen, but his free-kick failed to beat the first man and allowed the hosts to break.

Said overcooked his pass to Just, but the Kiwi still almost managed to pop the ball in, only for Kieran Tierney to produce an important block. Celtic went into the dressing room a goal down after a sobering opening 45 minutes.

43%

Possession

57%

Shots

Shots On Target

Corners

Fouls

Cards

The Celtic manager looked to his bench at half-time, bringing on Luke McCowan, Shin Yamada and Arne Engels in place of Tierney, Bernardo and Daizen Maeda.

However, it was Askou’s side who again looked the more dangerous. Yang was caught in possession and Just drove into the Celtic box, forcing a save from Schmeichel. Moments later he was at it again, with Schmeichel producing another excellent stop, although the flag was raised on the far side.

Celtic did register their first effort on target five minutes after the restart. Benjamin Nygren slipped the ball into the path of Shin inside the box, and the Japanese striker got a low right-footed shot away, but it was saved by Calum Ward.

Motherwell made it two just before the hour mark, and it came from a Celtic error. Schmeichel’s pass towards Engels was cut out by Just, whose initial effort was blocked, but Watt was on hand to sweep home.

Celtic pushed to get back into the contest and, in the 79th minute, were denied by a superb save from Ward. Nygren looked to have curled into the top corner, only for the Englishman to tip it wide, earning a standing ovation from the Fir Park crowd.

It was not to be for the Hoops, who now have only a few days to regroup before Saturday’s Glasgow derby at Celtic Park to kick-off 2026.

Motherwell: Ward, Sparrow, O’Donnell, McGinn, Koutroumbis, Priestman (Longelo 85′), Watt, Just (Hendry 75′), Slattery (McAllister 93′), Fadinger, Said (Ross 93′)

Subs: Gordon, Balmer, Stamatelopoulos, Osong, Ross, Connelly, McAllister, Longelo, Hendry

BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c5yqn6lq3jyt#Report

At a glance

Ibrahim Said’s first-half header and Elliot Watt’s simple second secure comfortable win for Motherwell

Celtic miss chance to move level on points with league leaders Hearts with fifth defeat under Wilfried Nancy

Rangers have chance to match Celtic’s tally with Old Firm win on Saturday

Watch Motherwell v Celtic highlights

30/12/25

Watch on iPlayer

ByAmy Canavan

BBC Sport Scotland

Calamitous Celtic missed the opportunity to move level on points with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts after defeat at classy Motherwell heaped pressure back on manager Wilfried Nancy as his chaotic reign took another wrong turn.

Back-to-back league wins against Aberdeen and Livingston showed something of a recovery under the Frenchman who, unprecedently, lost his first four games.

But the brief rally came to a shuddering halt at Fir Park, where the reigning champions were outclassed, out-thought and outplayed by Jens Berthel Askou’s impressive side.

Motherwell took a well-earned lead through Ibrahim Said, the Nigerian heading in Stephen O’Donnell’s delightful, deep pinpoint cross.

The half-time whistle was met with boos from a furious away support, who continually expressed their anger and exasperation at their club throughout the rest of the game.

They were silenced temporarily when Elliot Watt slid a second goal in to an empty net after a Kasper Schmeichel mistake.

The Celtic keeper failed to find Arne Engels on the edge of his box from a goal-kick and the alert hosts pounced to pile on the misery and cruise to their first home win against the Glasgow club since April 2013.

Celtic looked spooked by their hosts and struggled to test Calum Ward in the home goal on a night they chased shadows rather than league leaders Hearts, who remain three points clear at the summit.

Motherwell, who were magnificent, remain in fourth, two points behind Rangers – who can move level with Celtic should they defeat their Old Firm rivals on Saturday.

Graphic

Analysis: Celtic schooled in Motherwell masterclass

A performance and result which has been coming for both sides.

Motherwell were everything Celtic were not as they beat the champions for the first time in 35 attempts. They were dominant, hungry and played with a purpose. They took charge from the first minute.

It took nearly eight minutes for the visitors to string five passes together.

But while much of the attention will be on the awful state of Celtic, Motherwell’s brilliance should not be overlooked.

Of all their qualities, their consistency was most influential. Not only in their style and system, but in their patterns.

Every time Callum McGregor tried to get on the ball, a Motherwell player pounced. When Celtic were exposed at the back, the hosts exploited it.

Away players were shaking their heads throughout, but they are the architects of their own downfall.

O’Donnell was gifted the freedom of Fir Park to fling in the fabulous cross for the opener, while Schmeichel was all over the shop for the second.

Sloppy and second-best, they were utterly schooled, and not for the first time during Nancy’s short time at the club.

His wait for a first clean sheet goes on.

The Frenchman has insisted he is seeing improvements, that the risks are rewarding and his team will come good. There was no signs of any such things here.

Celtic were taught more than a thing or two by a team who are together, trust each other and are moving in the right direction.

What they said

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou tells BBC Sportsound: “I think it’s probably the best we have performed so far in the season, if you take the full game into consideration.

“The level of the opponent, us coming in from a hard game three days ago where we had to shake off some disappointment, some frustration, to then come today and deliver this with a tactical change in the way we set up our defensive structure, with just one day for the players to convert that into this performance, that was fantastic.

“It’s an impressive win and it’s a day that our supporters and everyone in the club will remember for a long time… We’ll try and forget it.

“I think my most important words I said in the dressing room were that we are not going to let this stop us, meaning that we’re not going to think now we’re a fantastic team and now we’ve done everything because we had this signature win that everyone’s talking about for us.

“What we need to do is to create something over time and over the course of the season and the three points today and the clean sheet helps on that.”

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy: “We want to keep going, but this was a stop. This stop is going to allow us to be better collectively.

“The message is getting across, but we faced adversity today and that is the reality, after that comes a bit of doubt.

“I believe I saw good stuff, to press in the good moment and defend in the good moment.

“We were not as connected as we have been tonight.”

…