2027-07-25: Celtic 2-2 AC Milan, Friendly

Match Pictures | Matches: 2026 – 2027

Trivia

KO: 15:00 Saturday, Celtic TV
Friendlies continues, league starts next weekend.
A lot of Celtic fans boycotting this match (in person and even online or TV viewing) due to protest against mismanagement against the board.
Benjamin Nygren missed the friendly with an Achilles problem, but O’Neill doesn’t think it’s ‘massive’. Other World Cup “stars” also left out to give further time.
Maeda confirmed sold to Ipswich for est £8m plus addons.
Kasper Hogh announced in process to be signed for record £11m, heading to Glasgow for a medical.
Duran keeps scoring and becoming a hero.
World Cup: final won by Spain last Sunday.
Politics: Andy Burnham becomes new PM of the UK, a self-proclaimed Everton & Celtic fan!
Sevco manager Derek McInnes given 3 match touchline ban plus one match suspended for comments after Motherwell match from last season.
Reports:
Celtic get boost in race to sign Radek Vitek
Sources in Japan suggested Kyogo Furuhashi had his heart set on return to Celtic. He moved to LA Galaxy within a day of this report!
Tottenham Hotspur set sights on Arne Engels.
Celtic resurrect interest in Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh
Maeda linked to move to newly promoted EPL side Ipswich Town. Est £8m plus addons! Exploring a deal to sign Lazio winger Matteo Cancellieri as Maeda’s replacement.
Celtic miss out on Elijah Just who moved to Swansea from Motherwell.
Real Oviedo boss Julian Calero appears to open the door for Egypt’s Haissem Hassan to join Celtic.
Celtic inquired about availability of Scottish left-back James Penrice from AEK Athens.
Bids expected for Alistair Johnston, interest from Everton and Fulham.
Celtic closing in on a £4m transfer for Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur.
Feyenoord agree to terminate Calvin Stengs‘ contract after Celtic interest. Calvin Stengs is available on a free after leaving Feyenoord by mutual consent following an injury-hit spell.
Dundee United Will Ferry on list of potential options.
Reo Hatate on West Ham United’s summer radar
Las Palmas want more than £4.3m, plus a sell-on clause goalkeeper Dinko Horkas.
Interest in two Lazio players – 25-year-old striker Gustav Isaksen and 24-year-old winger Matteo Cancellieri.
Hungarian champions Gyori ETO have hinted that they would be open to selling midfielder Milan Vitalis

Transfer window open:
Transfers In:

Transfers out:
Maeda (est £8m + £2m addons to Ipswich)

Summary

Protests overshadow the match with many fans not attending due to anger at the board. However, the announcement of record transfer feed to be paid for Hogh was a surprise but too late to get the fans through the doors.
This match was a game of two halves with Celtic 2-0 ahead at the break with Duran proving to be a gem scoring again and setting up a goal for Forrest which was a pleasant surprise.
Second half was all AC Milan who scored quickly twice after the break, but the Celtic defence was shakey and concerns remain.
Regardless, AC Milan may not be top of the food chain as in past years, but to still get a draw was a decent results especially in the hostile circumstances as at present.

Teams

Celtic

Sinisalo, Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Murray, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, McCowan, Forrest, Duran, Tounekti.

(4-3-2-1): Sinisalo; Donovan (89′ Montgomery), Carter-Vickers (63′ Scales), Murray, Tierney (63′ Ralston); McCowan (46′ McArdle), McGregor (76′ Bernardo), Engels (76′ Hatton); Forrest (46′ Oxlade-Chamberlain), Tounekti (63′ Osmand); Durán (76′ Hatate). Subs: Doohan, Gill; Turley; Balikwisha. Coach: O’Neill.

Subs:

Doohan, Gill, Scales, Balikwisha, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bernardo, McArdle, Montgomery, Hatton, Hatate, Turley, Ralston

Goals:

Duran 11, Forrest 27

AC Milan

AC MILAN (3-4-2-1): Torriani; Tomori (46′ Gila, 68′ Vladimirov), Gabbia (46′ Odogu), Pavlović (46′ F. Terracciano); Athekame (46′ Chukwueze), Ricci (46′ Fofana), Comotto (46′ Musah), Bartesaghi (60′ Borsani); Ossola (46′ Guernier, 76′ Cissè), Loftus-Cheek (60′ Vos); Kostić (46′ Camarda). Subs: Bouyer, Pittarella. Coach: Amorim.

Goals:

Camarda 46pen & 51

Nick Walsh (Scotland).
Att:

Articles

Match Report (see below)

Pictures

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Match

Articles

Entertaining contest with AC Milan finishes all-square at Paradise

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/july/25/entertaining-contest-with-ac-milan-finishes-all-square-at-paradise/

First Team

By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor

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25 Jul 2026, 5:18 pm

Pre-season friendly
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC…2
(Duran 11, Forrest 27)

AC MILAN… 2
(Camarda 46pen & 51)

Celtic Park played host to an entertaining pre-season friendly as Celtic drew 2-2 with Italian giants, AC Milan.

Martin O’Neill’s side took a 2-0 first-half lead thanks to goals from Camilo Duran and James Forrest, but the Italians fought back and two goals from Francesco Camarda early in the second-half levelled the game.

It was Ruben Amorim’s side who started the game strongly in terms of possession, and were passing the ball about with confidence without troubling the Celtic defence too much.

And it was a defensive lapse from AC Milan in the 11th minute which provided Celtic with their opening goal.

Strahinja Pavolvic rolled a ball across the six-yard box into the path of Camilo Duran, and the Colombian slotted the ball home with his left foot to make it three goals in three pre-season games for the striker since joining the club.

Duran’s pace in pressing was causing Milan problems, and he turned provider in the 27th minute, again latching on to a defensive mix-up, but this time he rolled the ball into the path of James Forrest, who fired a powerful shot high into the Milan net to make it 2-0.

AC Milan made a raft of changes at half-time, and it provided a cutting edge that was missing from the opening 45 minutes.

They reduced the deficit inside the first two minutes when referee Nick Walsh penalised a challenge by Cameron Carter-Vickers on Francesco Camarda inside the box, awarding the Italian side a penalty.

And the 18-year-old Italian internationalist stepped up to fire the ball beyond Vil Sinisalo to make it 2-1.

Less than four minutes later, Camarda had scored a second goal, and this time it was a header from six yards out after he was set up by a brilliant cross from Samuel Chukwueze, who was causing problems down the right flank.

Both sides continued to look for a winning goal, with substitute Thomas Hatton at the heart of Celtic’s best chances.

First, the teenager shrugged off Milan captain, Youssouf Fofana, and then stepped inside Filippo Terracciano before unleashing a powerful shot from 25 yards out that went narrowly wide.

And then he latched on to a Crossfield pass from Anthony Ralston to deliver a ball into the box for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose first-time effort went narrowly wide.

In the end, it was honours even, and now Celtic have just over a week to prepare for the opening Premiership match of the season, at home to Dundee on Monday, August 3.

CELTIC: Sinisalo, Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Murray, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, McCowan, Forrest, Duran, Tounekti.
Subs: Doohan, Gill, Scales, Balikwisha, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bernardo, McArdle, Montgomery, Hatton, Hatate, Turley, Ralston

Post-match reaction after draw with AC Milan

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/july/25/post-match-reaction-after-draw-with-ac-milan/
First Team

By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor

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25 Jul 2026, 5:34 pm

Celtic’s final pre-season match finished with another draw at Paradise, as the Hoops drew 2-2 with Italian giants, AC Milan.

Martin O’Neill’s side took a 2-0 first-half lead thanks to goals from Camilo Duran and James Forrest, but that lead cancelled out early in the second-half coutesy of a double from Francesco Camarda.

The Celtic manager was pleased with the test provided by Ruben Amorim’s side, and is now looking forward to the season’s opener against Dundee at Celtic Park on Monday, August 3 (KO: 7.30pm)

Kieran Tierney enjoyed his first run-out of pre-season, and the Scotland internationalist and his team-mates will be working hard in the week ahead as the Champions get set to begin the defence of their Premiership title.

ROSSONERI’S PRE‑SEASON BEGINS WITH A DRAW

https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/friendly/2026-07-25/rossoneri-s-pre-season-begins-with-a-draw
Friendly
July 25th 2026
It ends 2-2 in Glasgow thanks to Camarda’s second half brace

The Rossoneri’s first pre-season friendly ends 2-2. In Glasgow, the friendly between Celtic and AC Milan produced two goals in each half. The hosts struck first, capitalising on two misunderstandings during AC Milan’s build-up play. After the break, however, Amorim’s side came out with real intent, drawing level within eight minutes thanks to a Francesco Camarda brace. The Rossoneri went on to create several more attacking opportunities and could easily have come away with a better result. Even so, the afternoon in Scotland provided plenty of encouraging signs, with the first rewards of the team’s work on the training ground already beginning to show.

AC Milan showed lots of intent in possession and off the ball, while the patterns of their build-up play from the back will no doubt continue to be refined over the coming weeks of pre-season. It was also an important occasion for several youngsters from the Milan Futuro project, with a number making their First Team debut, some even earning a place in the starting XI. All in all, it was an encouraging first outing for Amorim’s refreshed squad, regardless of the final score. The afternoon in Scotland brings the opening phase of pre-season preparations to a close, with the squad set to travel to Australia in the coming hours. The next stop on the Pre-Season Tour will be Wednesday 5 August’s friendly against Inter in Perth.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTO GALLERY FROM CELTIC v AC MILAN
Celtic v AC Milan, Friendly Match 2026/27
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MATCH REPORT
Three Under-20 players – Comotto, Kostić and Ossola – were named in Amorim’s starting XI. The opening stages in Glasgow were played at a measured pace, with the hosts taking the lead in the 11th minute as Durán capitalised on a misunderstanding between Pavlović and Torriani during AC Milan’s build-up play. The Rossoneri looked to respond by pushing forward, alternating their attacks down both flanks. It was from the right that the best opportunity arrived in the 21st minute, when Athekame picked out Kostić, but the Montenegrin was unable to turn and get his shot away. Celtic doubled their lead in the 28th minute through Forrest, who was quickest to convert Durán’s assist after another mix-up in AC Milan’s build-up. The Rossoneri spent much of the closing stages of the first half on the front foot, putting together some promising passing moves, but the opening 45 minutes ended without the Celtic goalkeeper being seriously tested, with Comotto’s off-target effort being their only attempt.

Amorim made eight changes at half-time, and one of the substitutes made an immediate impact. Just over a minute after the restart, Camarda won a penalty and confidently converted it, firing an unstoppable right-footed strike into the top corner. The Rossoneri came close to levelling in the 50th minute when Chukwueze delivered a cross and Camarda’s twisting header drifted just wide. The same combination produced the equaliser three minutes later: the Nigerian’s cross with the outside of his left foot was met by the 2008-born striker, whose header found the one spot Sinisalo could not reach. The quickfire double gave AC Milan renewed belief, with the Rossoneri pushing higher up the pitch and looking to dictate possession, particularly through an inspired Chukwueze on the right flank. Celtic threatened again in the final 15 minutes, creating two chances either side of a Musah effort that was well blocked by the Scottish defence. In the 78th minute, Hatton fired narrowly wide, before Oxlade-Chamberlain’s run into the box almost found the bottom corner five minutes later, his effort flashing just past the left-hand post of the AC Milan goalkeeper. It finished 2-2 in Glasgow.
Lorenzo Torriani saves an opponent’s shot on goal in Celtic v AC Milan

MATCH DETAILS

CELTIC 2-2 AC MILAN

CELTIC (4-3-2-1): Sinisalo; Donovan (89′ Montgomery), Carter-Vickers (63′ Scales), Murray, Tierney (63′ Ralston); McCowan (46′ McArdle), McGregor (76′ Bernardo), Engels (76′ Hatton); Forrest (46′ Oxlade-Chamberlain), Tounekti (63′ Osmand); Durán (76′ Hatate). Subs: Doohan, Gill; Turley; Balikwisha. Coach: O’Neill.

Referee: Nick Walsh (Scotland).
Goals: 11′ Durán (C), 28′ Forrest (C), 47′ pen. and 53′ Camarda (M).