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Celtic Slip After Europa Loss as O’Neill Faces Backlash

Damaging defeats and a sharp post-match interview have exposed squad depth limits that risk harming Celtic’s domestic title bid under a congested Europa League schedule.

Overview

  • Celtic were beaten 3-1 at Celtic Park by Ferencvaros on Thursday, a result that followed a 3-0 loss to Rangers days earlier and left supporters booing at full-time.
  • Manager Martin O’Neill gave a terse television interview in which he declined to explain a goalkeeper change and later discussed his selection on Celtic TV, a sequence that drew criticism from fans and pundits.
  • Former players including Neil Lennon blamed poor game management and decision-making by the players, while Stiliyan Petrov questioned the team’s style and tempo under the current coaching setup.
  • Analysts warned the club’s summer recruitment has left the squad thin for Thursday–Sunday Europa League fixtures and that group-stage participation, while worth significant revenue, may hand Rangers a domestic edge.
  • O’Neill has acknowledged a “crisis of confidence” in the squad and said he will try to restore energy and risk-taking before Sunday’s derby, with the international break providing limited time for players to regroup.