Reviewing Celtic’s Europa League Group Stage

On the whole, Celtic’s Europa League Group Stage was a progressive one. To reach said stage of the competition was an achievement in itself; defeating AZ Alkmaar in an onerous two legged tie with then new recruits like Carl Starfelt, Joe Hart, Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi playing their first few games together was monumental. 

Although the Hoops regrettably dropped down to the Europa Conference League, a group campaign in the Europa League ending with nine points is rather prodigious, such a points total saw teams like Real Sociedad, Olympiacos and Lazio finish second and progress to the next round of the competition. Celtic’s city rivals, Rangers, got through to the Europa League knockouts with a lesser points total than Celtic, the Ibrox side amassed eight points in their group. 

For the Group Stage draw, Celtic were a pot two team. Being drawn alongside Bundesliga impressers Bayer Leverkusen, Seville giants Real Betis and old foes Ferencvaros was met with both hope and pessimism. Having to play, and in all likelihood get results, against two teams from the top five leagues in Europe was an arduous task. However, as is always the case with Celtic in Europe, there was a sense of optimism and excitement that the Hoops could pull off some eye catching results against top opposition. In addition, some of said optimism may have been uplifted after Celtic played out a seven goal thriller in Seville. 

Seven goal thriller in Seville

Ange Postecoglou’s first proper European match as Celtic manager got off to the start we’ve now come to expect from his teams with the Hoops being two goals up within the first half hour. However, it was typical Celtic away in Europe. Before half time, Real Betis had pulled it back and it was two all at the break. 

As the sun begun to set on the Benito Villamarin Stadium, Celtic fans suffered heartbreak in Seville once again. Another quick fire double from Betis put them two goals ahead with over half an hour to play. Celtic would continue to chip away to try and find a way back into the game however they didn’t get their reward until late on. Anthony Ralston headed home from a David Turnbull free kick on the eighty seventh minute however it proved to be too little, too late for the men in Hoops. 4-3 to Real Betis, the final score line. 

Great encouragement was to be taken from Celtic’s narrow loss in Seville. Giving a top six La Liga side a scare in their own backyard was impressive. However, performances mean for nothing and it’s results that matter and that’s exactly what Celtic had to get at home to Bayer Leverkusen on match day two. 

Home Humbling 

For the first time in almost eighteen months, Celtic fans got to experience the renowned Celtic Park European atmosphere. As is always the case however, a result was needed against a top side. 

And a top side it was, Bayer Leverkusen, the top seed in the group, were the visitors. In the lead up to the match, there was a great boost provided to Celtic with the unexpected returns of Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor. 

Despite early opportunities, it was a defensive lapse which cost Celtic the opening goal on the twenty fifth minute. Ten minutes later, Leverkusen doubled their money through wonder kid Florian Wirtz. 

In the second half, Celtic started on top however a harsh penalty was given against Cameron Carter-Vickers just before the hour. Lucas Alario converted to all but wrap up all three points for Leverkusen. Deep into stoppage time, the visitors rubbed salt into the wounds through Amine Adli’s strike and it finished Celtic 0-4 Bayer Leverkusen. 

Two losses from the first two games in the Europa League was not ideal but it meant Celtic’s double header with Ferencvaros was all the more crucial. 

Atypical Afternoon

A mixture of fixture havoc and Cop26 caused for a peculiar kick off time of 3.30pm on a Tuesday afternoon for Celtic’s crucial Europa League tie with Hungarian side Ferencvaros. 

Despite the date and time, the Celtic support still turned out in their thousands. 50, 427 fans attended on a Tuesday afternoon. Incredible. 

The fans had to wait a while for the breakthrough though. Just before the sixtieth minute, Jota played one of the most eye pleasing passes I’ve witnessed through for Kyogo. The Japanese’s first touch killed the ball and allowed him to finish at the near post. 

Nerves begun to set in when Callum McGregor failed to convert a penalty however these were soon banished when David Turnbull bundled in Celtic’s second with just under ten minutes to go. With this

two nil victory, Celtic got their first points on the board in the Europa League however, they would mean for nothing if the Hoops didn’t come away with a result from their trip to Budapest. 

Brilliant in Budapest 

With a 3-2 victory over Ferencvaros in Hungary, Celtic made sure they would play European football after Christmas in the 21/22 season. 

The visitors got off to the finest start possible with Kyogo Furuhashi sublimely finishing past Adam Bogdan in the Ferencvaros goal to put Celtic a goal ahead three minutes in. 

Typically, this lead didn’t last and less than ten minutes later, the home side were level. Oleksandr Zubkov’s shot deflected off Josip Juranovic and looped over Joe Hart to make it one a piece. 

Just like clockwork though, Celtic went in front just over ten minutes after Ferencvaros equalised. Jota unleashed a powerful effort from outside the box which kissed the post on its way in. A wonderful goal which restored a Celtic lead that lasted much longer than the first did. 

On the hour, Celtic doubled their lead through Liel Abada who was played in by a ravishing Kyogo pass. The Israeli clinically dispatched into the bottom left corner to give Celtic a comfortable lead with half an hour to go. 

It wouldn’t be plain sailing from then on in for the Hoops though with Myrto Uzuni halving the deficit four minutes from regulation time for Ferencvaros. Despite this late scare, Celtic were able to weather the storm and secure a vital three points away in Europe. 

Deutschland Disappointment 

A bullet header from Robert Andrich gave Bayer Leverkusen the lead sixteen minutes into their match with Celtic. This was a bitter blow for the Hoops who needed at least a point in Germany to stay alive in the Europa League. 

Parity was restored for Celtic five minutes from the break though. Lukas Hradecky carelessly clattered into Kyogo Furuhashi in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Josip Juranovic kept his cool to exquisitely panenka the ball into the back of the net. To have the nerve to carry out such an action in such a game says a lot about the Croatian’s character. 

Into the second half, Celtic were in dreamland. A sweeping counter attacking move where James Forrest, David Turnbull and Kyogo combined saw Jota sweetly strike home at the back post just before the hour. The visitors just had to hold out for the remainder of the match to secure their maiden win on German soil. 

Deep into the second half though, Celtic hearts were shattered when first, Robert Andrich equalised and then Moussa Diaby thunderously volleyed home to make it Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Celtic. 

An onslaught on the Leverkusen goal would follow but there was to be nothing taken from the match for Celtic. As a result, the Parkhead club were out of the Europa League for the 21/22 season and would play their European knockout football in the newly formed Conference League. 

Valueless Victory

It was a strange site seeing Celtic Park not packed to the gunnels for a European game however the Hoops’ final Europa League group tie with Real Betis was of no significance to either side. 

The visitors were guaranteed a second place finish in the group, securing Europa League knockout football whereas Celtic knew they would end the night as the third place team in Group G. 

Due to the match being a so called ‘dead rubber’, Ange Postecoglou fielded a rather subordinate side. Scott Bain was given the nod in goal with all of Liam Scales, Osaze Urhoghide and Liam Shaw starting for the first time for Celtic. In addition, the likes of Ismaila Soro, Adam Montgomery and Albian Ajeti were in from the start. The latter however, had to come off injured on the twenty eighth minute. His replacement was a lamentable one. Kyogo Furuhashi had to come on for Ajeti and ironically, the Japanese pulled up as well. Kyogo then had to be withdrawn. A few days later it was revealed that Kyogo’s injury may not be as bad as first feared though.  

The match itself was an extremely entertaining one. Celtic took the lead within the first few minutes when Stephen Welsh glanced on from a teasing Liel Abada corner. 

Celtic were able to hold their lead through the rest of the first half, a period in which Real Betis had numerous opportunities to equalise. 

A slow start from both sides to the second forty five was followed up by a goal fest between the sixty ninth and seventy eighth minutes. 

Borja Iglesias’ effort rebounded off the post to only cross the line via the unfortunate Scott Bain. Three minutes later though, Celtic reinstated their lead. Mikey Johnston worked well down the right hand side and flashed the ball across goal for substitute Ewan Henderson to tap in. A special moment for the twenty one year old. 

Just like clockwork and before you knew it, Betis were level once more. Borja Iglesias was slid through by a sublime Canales pass and the Spaniard done the rest. The visitors weren’t level for long though and on the seventy eighth minute, Liel Abada won Celtic a penalty. David Turnbull coolly dispatched for the goal that eventually won the match for Celtic. 

Although I labelled this win as valueless, there was still around £500,000 Celtic were awarded for the victory. As well as this, great pride should be taken from the fact the Hoops defeated a high calibre La Liga side in Real Betis with an almost ‘B team’ on the park. However, the injuries sustained from this match, at least at the time of writing, are causes of deep concern at Celtic. 

Goal of the Group Stage - Jota v Bayer Leverkusen (A)

Celtic scored a total of thirteen goals throughout the Europa League group stages and there are three leading ones, at least in my opinion. These are Josip Juranovic’s panenka in the BayArena, Jota’s long range strike away to Ferencvaros and finally, the Portuguese’s finish in Germany after a sweeping counter attacking move. 

It is the latter that I have chosen as Celtic’s goal of the group stage. 

With the match level at the time, Celtic were able to take the lead through Jota’s goal. Joe Hart commandingly collected a Florian Wirtz cross. The Englishman went long to find James Forrest who played the ball down to David Turnbull with a deft flick. Turnbull then passed it back to Forrest whose first time fast found the charging Nir Bitton. His pass found Kyogo who skilfully picked out Jota on the spin. The twenty two year old struck the ball first time, past Lukas Hradecky and into the bottom right corner. 

Despite a wonderful, to say the least, team goal, Celtic still tasted defeat in Leverkusen. However, the eminence of the strike and team play that led up to it cannot be denied. 

Player of the Group Stage - Jota 

Signed on loan from Benfica, Jota has been a revelation at Celtic. Particularly in the Europa League where the Portuguese has scored two goals and registered two assists in five matches. 

His two goals were marvellous. Jota’s maiden Celtic European strike came away to Ferencvaros where the Portuguese unleashed a powerful strike from range that beat goalkeeper Adam Bogdan. His second, on the other hand, came after some superb team play. Jota was eventually played in by Kyogo and the loanee venomously fired home. 

As well as goal scorer, Jota has equally been a creator for Celtic in the Europa League. He ably set up Albian Ajeti in Spain with a great cross which went in off the former West Ham man’s midriff. Jota also played a beautiful pass to Kyogo which led to Celtic’s second goal against Ferencvaros in the home leg. This assist was arguably one of the best in the Europa League group stages. 

All in all, Jota had a tremendous Europa League group stage campaign, in terms of personal performance. The Benfica loanee averaged a goal or assist every one hundred and three minutes in his five appearances. 

The reported six to seven million pounds buy option on Jota’s loan deal is certainly one that I, and most supporters, believe Celtic should take up. 

As mentioned, Celtic will now play their European football in the newly formed Europa Conference League. 

Celtic will enter the competition at the knockout play off stage. This means that if the Hoops win this, they will be through to the last sixteen. 

Celtic are unseeded for the draw, which will take place on Monday the thirteenth of December at 1pm British time, and can play either of Bodo Glimt, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, PAOK, Partizan, Qarabag, Randers, Slavia Praha or Vitesse (considering Spurs don’t end up playing their match with Rennes which at the moment, looks highly unlikely). 

Whatever happens, the first leg of the tie will take place at Celtic Park on Thursday the seventeenth of February with the second leg scheduled for a week later. 

In my opinion, all of the teams I named that Celtic could possibly play are beatable. Ange Postecoglou’s men may even be favourites in every potential tie. However, Celtic have not won a European knockout tie (excluding qualifiers) since 2004, before I was born. This certainly makes for hard reading although I am extremely optimistic surrounding the next chapter of this season for Celtic in Europe. 

Thank you for reading this article. If you have any thoughts or opinions, leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @Josh_Footblog where re-Tweets and likes are all greatly appreciated.