European Super Football

Celtic 3 - 1 RB Leipzig Nicolas Kuhn delivered an outstanding performance, inspiring Celtic to come from behind and secure a thrilling third consecutive Champions League home victory at the lively Celtic Park against Germany's RB Leipzig. Author - Sean M > After a dominant six-goal League Cup win over Aberdeen on Saturday and a tough draw away to Atalanta in the previous matchday, expectations were high for this game, despite Leipzig being the top seeds. Celtic very much delivered in what was probably their best performance in a European match for several years.  How the action unfolded - an unbiased reflection of a wonderful night for Celtic fans We burst onto the pitch with real intent, pressing high and applying pressure from the start. In the opening minute, Reo Hatate’s sharp pass to Daizen Maeda set the tone, and Arne Engels' shot—blocked by the Leipzig defence—signalled Celtic’s ambitions. RB Leipzig, struggling to match Celtic’s pace, nearly saw Kuhn break the dea...

Celtic 4 - 0 Motherwell Celtic maintained their composure despite a shaky start to secure a commanding 4-0 victory over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. Author - Sean M Following a frustrating draw at Dundee United on Sunday, the league leaders took time to find their rhythm. The breakthrough came just before the half-time whistle when a collision between Aston Oxborough and Hyunjun Yang earned Celtic a penalty. Arne Engels coolly converted, slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner as the Motherwell goalkeeper dived the wrong way. Celtic had the better chances in the first half, with Daizen Maeda’s effort blocked by Oxborough. The Motherwell keeper also had a nervy moment when he nearly turned the ball into his own net, but managed to clear it with the help of his defence. Early in the second half, Celtic survived a scare when Tony Watt inadvertently blocked Tawanda Maswanhise’s shot on Kasper Schmeichel ’s goalline, deflecting it behind. The hosts doubled their lead so...

Celtic 3 - 3 Aberdeen Celtic won 6-5 on penalties Celtic clinched victory on penalties in a thrilling match at Hampden Park, securing their spot in the Scottish Cup final and leaving Aberdeen fans devastated. The game was a nail-biting affair, with both teams showcasing their skill in a tense shootout. Joe Hart, Celtic's goalkeeper, had the opportunity to seal the win with his team's fifth penalty, but his shot hit the post, keeping the game on a knife-edge. Yet, Hart redeemed himself by saving Killian Phillips' penalty, securing Celtic's victory. Now, Celtic awaits the outcome of the match between Hearts and Rangers next month, as they aim to claim the prestigious Scottish Cup for a record-breaking 42nd time. The match itself was nothing short of extraordinary, with Aberdeen delivering two late equalisers to keep the contest alive. Angus MacDonald's header in the 119th minute seemed to complete a remarkable comeback after his earlier mistake had led to Celtic...

 Hearts 0 - 2 Celtic Celtic clinched their second successive Scottish Premiership title under Ange Postecoglou as they beat 10-player Hearts 2-0. Despite running away with the title, Celtic didn't have it their own way before they were crowned champions. Joe Hart was made to work inside two minutes from a Lawrence Shankland header, although the assistant referee did flag for offside. It was eventually Kyogo got the title party underway when he knocked the ball in from Reo Hatate's cross after half-time. The Japanese striker was then forced off to be replaced by Hyeon-Gyu Oh who made sure of the victory when he fired in from Aaron Mooy's cross. This win confirmed Celtic's 10th title in 11 seasons, and they can secure a domestic treble if they beat Inverness in the Scottish Cup final on June 3 at Hampden Park. Scotland: Celtic move closer to another Treble (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) More history beckons for Celtic. Celtic can now focus on going for a record poin...

 Celtic 5 - 0 Raith Rovers Daizen Maeda hit a landmark 50 goals for Celtic as his stunning hat-trick fired the holders into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a dominant 5-0 victory over Raith Rovers. Author - Sean M Stadium - Celtic Park Brendan Rodgers made sweeping changes, bringing in nine fresh faces to the starting XI, but it was business as usual at Celtic Park as the Hoops extended their formidable unbeaten home run to 32 matches—just one shy of the record set by Gordon Strachan’s 2007 side. Second-half strikes from Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-Jun put Celtic firmly in control before Maeda rounded off his treble, latching onto a superb assist from McCowan. The Japanese forward, who had already bagged a brace before half-time to shatter Raith’s resistance, now boasts 21 goals for the season—proving himself an able replacement for the departed Kyogo Furuhashi, with six goals in his last three outings. More news from the Scottish Cup Celtic’s strength in depth on display I...

Celtic 3 - 0 Hibernian Brendan Rodgers commended Celtic's attacking display as they capitalised on a wasteful Hibernian to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to nine points.  Author - Sean M Celtic secured their seventh consecutive league win with Arne Engels' first-half tap-in, an own goal from Joe Newell, and a sublime finish from Kyogo after the interval. Hibs, though, had their chances, particularly in the first half, where they exposed Celtic's high defensive line. Mykola Kuharevich was twice denied in one-on-one situations by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, while Joe Newell squandered a golden opportunity, firing over the bar unmarked inside the box. At the other end, Celtic proved clinical. Engels converted Alistair Johnston's cross, and Adam Idah's flick-on was inadvertently turned into his own net by Newell. Celtic Football Club news and stories Can anyone stop Celtic in Scotland? Hibs' inability to take their chances persisted i...

 Celtic 3-2 St Mirren The last game of the season at Celtic Park ended with three points for the champions. Matt O'Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma all for the hosts. Mark O'Hara had put St Mirren ahead twice as they threatened to try and spoil the party.  Towards the end of the match, Celtic keeper Joe Hart was substituted and the Celtic goalkeeper looked emotional as he made his way from the field in what is believed to be his final league appearance as a professional footballer. During the trophy celebrations, Hart addressed the supporters. He said: "You guys are absolutely phenomenal. You've made me feel so special. Thank you so much for having me." Celtic make changes, but players impress in an entertaining match. Rodgers made six changes to his starting line-up, and  it's  unlikely that next  Saturday's  Scottish Cup final team against Rangers will look the same. The manager has  mostly depended  on predecessor Ange  Postecoglo...

Celtic 4 - 0 Kilmarnock Celtic kicked off their Premiership title defence with a comfortable 4-0 victory at home against Kilmarnock. Reo Hatate opened the scoring after 17 minutes, coolly finishing from the edge of the box. Celtic doubled their advantage five minutes before half-time when Liam Scales headed a Matt O’Riley corner into the far post. Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn made it three on the hour mark with a deflected strike that looped over Kilmarnock’s goalkeeper, Robby McCrorie. Anthony Ralston sealed the win in stoppage time, netting his first goal for Celtic since 2021. Click here for more Celtic news and stories A closer look at the match Before the match, they were greeted to an impressive fan display when they took to the Parkhead turf. This created an amazing atmosphere and the Celtic players responded.  Reo Hatate put the champions ahead in the 17th minute, firing into the bottom corner from just inside the box. Earlier, Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi was denied by a bri...

 Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers Celtic won the double and Rangers ended the season with nohing. Adam Idah emerged as  Celtic's  last-minute hero  under the bright Hampden sun. 🏆⬆️ Relive all the action as Adam Idah's late winner sparked incredible scenes in the @CelticFC end, with the Hoops lifting the @scottishgas Men's Scottish Cup at Hampden Park. This is your Story of the Final. #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/JV0jpjtaFX — Scottish Gas Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) May 27, 2024 With the Scottish  Cup's  fate hanging in the balance and the game deadlocked at 0-0, extra-time seemed inevitable. However, Paulo Bernardo, a substitute for Reo Hatate, took control.  As the  Rangers  defence hesitated, Bernardo unleashed a stunning 25-yard strike that baffled goalkeeper Jack Butland with its swerving path. Seizing the opportunity, Republic of Ireland forward Adam Idah sprinted at full speed to reach the deflected ball before Butland could recover. The ...

 Celtic 3 - 0 Hearts Celtic moved a little bit closer to the title after easing past Hearts in Glasgow.  They face Rangers next weekend in a match that could decide the title. If Celtic avoid defeat, they will almost certainly end up as champions.  Kyogo Furuhashi scored the opening goal for Celtic in a fast-paced match at Celtic Park. He nodded the ball in from a cross by his fellow countryman Reo Hatate.  The Hearts team responded quickly, but Celtic extended their lead when Matt O'Riley's impressive long-range pass found Kyogo, who scored with a first-time shot and got his second of the match.  Kyogo then  had chances to score more goals in the first half, but Zander Clark, the Hearts goalkeeper, made some excellent saves. He also made a fantastic double save in the second half to deny Hatate and O'Riley. Celtic were awarded a late penalty after an on-field review showed that Lawrence Shankland had handled the ball in the box. O'Riley stepped up to t...

Celtic 4 - 0 Aberdeen An inspiring performance from Reo Hatate helped Celtic earn a dominant win over Aberdeen. Celtic TV Unique Angle | Celtic 4-0 Aberdeen | Celts dominate Dons in Paradise! - YouTube Callum McGregor opened the scoring inside two minutes before Hatate doubled the lead 11 minutes later in a scintillating first 45 minutes from Celtic. The Japanese midfielder would then add a third goal thanks to some sublime individual play with 14 minutes remaining before Liel Abada crashed home a fourth with a minute to play, rounding off a fine afternoon's work for Ange Postecoglou's side. A great start for Celtic Things couldn’t have got off to a better start for Celtic as inside the first two minutes, Callum McGregor gave the Hoops the lead. It was Greg Taylor’s initial cross which was headed clear by Aberdeen, but it only went as far as the skipper lurking on the edge of the box who smashed a low drive into the bottom left corner, despite the efforts of Jay Gorter in g...

Celtic 3 - 3 Rangers Celtic won 5-4 on penalties The current Scottish champions were pushed to their absolute limits but ultimately prevailed in a dramatic Scottish League Cup final against Rangers, decided by a tense penalty shootout. Author - Sean M After both sides converted their first three penalties, Rangers defender Ridvan Yilmaz saw his low effort saved by Kasper Schmeichel. Although goalkeeper Jack Butland briefly kept Rangers' hopes alive by scoring their next spot-kick, Daizen Maeda calmly slotted home to secure the trophy for Celtic. The victory came after an epic 3-3 draw following extra time, extending Brendan Rodgers' remarkable record of never losing at Hampden Park. Meanwhile, Rangers manager Philippe Clement is still searching for his first derby win. This triumph also propels Celtic ahead of their old rivals in total silverware won — a milestone not achieved since the 1930s. But those are just the headlines of what was a truly incredible cup final. Whil...

This could be huge in Celtic's bid to progress in the Champions League Author - Sean M Celtic fans loved the player in his first spell with the club. Celtic have successfully re-signed Jota from Rennes, while Kyogo Furuhashi has completed a transfer in the opposite direction. Jota initially left Celtic in July 2023 for a reported fee of £25 million. However, he struggled to secure a regular starting position at Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League and also faced challenges with a Rennes team that is currently on a five-match losing streak. The 25-year-old player has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with the Scottish champions, who hold a 10-point lead at the top of the Premiership. Jota first joined Celtic on loan from Benfica in September 2021. After a successful season, Celtic triggered an option to buy him for a reported fee of £6.5 million the following summer. He played a vital role in helping Celtic secure the treble in the 2022-23 season, scoring 28 goals in 83 appea...

Celtic and Rangers have played each other over 400 times in major competitions: Rangers have won 166 matches, Celtic have gained 159 wins.  Let's have a look at some memorable moments involving the iconic clubs.  The original version of this article was posted here  Memorable matches and moments involving Celtic and Rangers (differentballs.blogspot.com) The first encounter The first game between Celtic and Rangers was a friendly in 1888. It´s thought that around 2,000 people were in attendance. It is believed that this could have been greater but for the International Exhibition taking place the same day through in the West End. 1967 Scottish League Cup final This may seem like an odd place to start but it was the first trophy in Celtic's best-ever season that finished with being the first British side to win the European Cup. Their first trophy of 66/67 came after a 1-0 win over their nearest rivals at Hampden Park.  Rangers 3 - 2 Celtic. 2002 Scottish Cup final...

Celtic kept alive their Europa League knockout hopes with a hard-fought win over the Hungarian champions Ferencvaros. Kyogo Furuhashi slid home the opener from a sublime Jota pass after a frustrating first half. Balint Vecsei's unfortunate own goal final confirmed Celtic's win after Callum McGregor's had previously missed a penalty. Celtic's defeats against Real Betis and Bayer Leverkusen meant they had to win this match to have any chance of progressing in the competition. This was something acknowledged by manager Ange Postecoglou before the match. Click here for more Celtic news Some stats for you Celtic have won six of their eight matches at home to Hungarian opponents in all European competitions (D1 L1), keeping a clean sheet in four of their last five such games. A stat provided from the BBC:  Celtic have now ended a run of fourteen Europa League matches without a clean sheet. They recordedone for the first time since October 2019 at home to CFR Cluj. The Glasg...

Celtic 6 - 0 Ross County Luke McCowan was the star of the show for Celtic after he scored one and assisted three as five-goal Celtic stormed to a five-point lead at the Scottish Premiership summit by thrashing Ross County. Author - Sean M > Brendan Rodgers made six changes to the team that drew with Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, showcasing the impressive depth of his squad. Every player brought in made a noticeable impact. The standout performer was McCowan, who delivered the corner that allowed Liam Scales to head in powerfully at the near post. McCowan, making his first start in a month, then added a second with a deflected effort on the turn. Celtic Football Club news and stories He continued to shine, setting up captain Callum McGregor for a stunning 20-yard strike – McGregor's sixth league goal of the season – just moments after Paulo Bernardo tapped in Celtic’s third from close range. The first-half scoring feast was rounded off by Adam Idah, who...

Celtic 5 - 1 Slovan Bratislava Celtic delivered a commanding performance at a lively Celtic Park to secure their first-ever opening Champions League victory in emphatic fashion, overpowering Slovan Bratislava. In a rare instance where they started as favourites in Europe's top competition, Brendan Rodgers' team produced an energetic and composed display. Liam Scales sent the home crowd into raptures in the 17th minute, heading in Arne Engels' corner. Despite creating several chances before half-time, the Scottish champions couldn’t extend their lead. Kyogo Furuhashi eased any nerves just two minutes into the second half, steering Nicolas Kuhn’s powerful cross into the net, putting fears of missed opportunities to rest. Visit this page for more Celtic news and stories Celtic continued to create chances, and after Alistair Johnston was fouled by Danylo Ihnatenko, the impressive Engels calmly slotted home from the penalty spot for a third. Although Kevin Wimmer's exqui...

Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic extended their unbeaten run in the Champions League to four matches, earning a valuable away point that leaves their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages firmly in their hands. Author - Sean M Brendan Rodgers' side now sit on nine points, with a home clash against Young Boys in January followed by a trip to Aston Villa. However, their wait for an elusive away victory in this competition continues – the last coming against Anderlecht under Rodgers seven years ago. Facing a Dinamo Zagreb side plagued by injuries and struggling for form, Celtic sensed an opportunity and started brightly, dominating possession for long periods. Yet, they struggled to break down their resolute opponents. In the first half, Celtic's best chance came from a 20-yard free-kick by Paulo Bernardo, which narrowly missed the target, despite the visitors enjoying nearly 70% possession. Dinamo, defensively disciplined throughout, consistently shut down spaces and l...

 St Johnstone 1 - 4 Celtic Celtic restored a nine-point Scottish Premiership lead following a routine win at St Johnstone. Rangers had cut the gap with their win on Saturday, but Celtic pulled away again thanks to Andrew Considine's own goal and a Kyogo Furuhashi effort putting them two up inside 22 minutes. Drey Wright's fine strike brought St Johnstone back into it but Aaron Mooy's chip re-established Celtic's two-goal lead and David Turnbull added a late fourth after Considine was sent off. Scotland: Latest news from the Scottish Premiership (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Another relegation for the club from Perth? They remain seven points clear of the bottom two and played well in Perth, That only serves to highlight some of the quality Celtic produced on a difficult surface to deliver another Premiership win. Despite that decent performance, many at the club will be worried that they are about to fall into another nervy relegation battle. Reaction  💬 “I’m ...