9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Perth, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, St Johnstone versus Celtic; Ex Celtic player Chris Sutton
Chris Sutton almost knows the script back to front for Celtic’s European performances.
Last night it was Celta Vigo, it could just as easily have been Ferencvaros or Braga that he was watching taking full points from Celtic.
The opponents change but the narrative is very similar as Celtic crash deeper into European mediocrity.
Covering two seasons Celtic have picked up 11 Europa League points from their last 11 matches. They are currently 35th of of 36 teams in the Europa League.
That isn’t bad luck or bad refereeing, that is a pattern.
Sutton has watched it all very closely.
The starting point for many was the Champions League Round of 16 Play Off against Bayern Munich in February 2025. The descent since then has been rapid.
Some fans will turn the clock back a further month. When Celtic beat YB Bern to reach the Play Off stage the club pushed the button to sell Kyogo Furuhashi with no replacement lined up.
Whenever the rot started it is difficult to se where it ends. Almost certainly there will be no Round of 16 Europa League Play Off in February.
In the two previous seasons of this format of the Europa League no club has ever lost their first three matches and advanced.
@chris_sutton73 Lacking any quality on the bench. Competing not too bad for 65 minutes and then we need to look at making the changes but those changes weaken us further. Celtic are an embarrassment in Europe now. Sad times for the supporters under this board.
— Football1967 (@Football19671) October 22, 2026
NO SURPRISES FOR SUTTON AS CELTIC TOIL AND SLIDE IN EUROPE
Next up for Celtic in the Europa League is a visit from Beskitas. The Turkish side have taken seven points from three matches, last night they drew 2-2 at home to Crystal Palace.
Clearly Besiktas will be expecting to take full points from Celtic. That is what it has come to, in the season where Celtic are supposed to be celebrating the Lisbon Lions.
Just two years ago Celtic were making progress in Europe.
Matchday 3 was a 0-0 draw away to Atalanta, followed up by a well deserved 3-1 home win over RB Leipzig. Heady days.
For now it is back to domestic matters for the hoops. SPFL matches against Hibs, Dundee United and Falkirk. After beating Hearts 7-1 there is every chance that Celtic will take full points from those domestic matches.
But as Sutton regularly highlights in 2026 the benchmark of Celtic success is to be found in European football. Only Aarat-Armenia are looking up at Celtic.
Too slow in getting the ball forward happy to recycle the ball across the back given the opposition time to regroup.
When they do get the ball forward there is no one capable of holding on to the ball.
Overall not near good enough.
I would say that all players are below average
I can’t believe that no-one has picked up on the difference in attitude from the two teams, when Celta equalised (Away from home) it was THEIR player who picked the ball out of the Celtic net and rushed to get it back for kick off and resume the game.