11th October 2026; Fir Park, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Motherwell versus Celtic; Celtic manager Martin ONeill
Martin O’Neill was full of compliments and enthusiasm following Celtic’s 4-1 defeat from Benfica.
Two matches into the Europa League Celtic are third bottom of the 36 team table, pointless and with a goal difference of -5.
Since Celtic lost a four goal lead to LASK Linz in a Champions League Play Off the team has looked vulnerable to well organised sides.
LASK provided a template of how to expose Celtic’s weaknesses with Benfica 3-0 up after 36 minutes.
True at 3-1 down in the second half Celtic carved out a couple of chances but it was the home side that scored again with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring late on for the home side.
Last season O’Neill steered Celtic to away wins against Feyenoord and Stuttgart.
Another big name scalp was never likely last night but despite the scoreline O’Neill was keen to highlight the positives from a 4-1 defeat.
O’NEILL TAKES CONSOLATION
Covering the post match media conference The Celtic Way reports:
I’m really pleased with the team in the second half. We could have crumbled, we didn’t do and I thought we showed some character to get back into the game.
Had we made it 3-2 with 15 odd minutes to go, it might have been a really interesting, a massive chance for us. We should have scored but we didn’t.
But yes, it’s not bravado on my part, I take great courage from it. I’m just really pleased with the way the team played, particularly the substitutions, the impact the substitutions made.
Not many of the 3,500 Celtic fans in the Stadio de Luz took any sort of encouragement from losing 4-1.
Many of those fans were in Munich last February when Bayern celebrated a late equaliser to edge their way past Brendan Rodgers’ side into the last 16 of the Champions League.
It is hard to argue that Celtic have improved in any positions since that night.
Camilo Duran is a genuine goal threat but only played the second half in his strongest position.
After the three week international break Celtic are back into an extensive period of fixtures.
Within the next seven days they face Hearts and Celta Vigo in testing home matches.
If Celtic take full points from those games O’Neill’s great courage comment will be vindicated.
Anything less and the questions will remain about a team that has lost 12 goals in their last three European matches.
