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Celtic fans rejoice after memorable Champions League night

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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 Hatateā€™s sharp pass to Daizen Maeda set the tone, and Arne Engels' shotā€”blocked by the Leipzig defenceā€”signalled Celticā€™s ambitions. RB Leipzig, struggling to match Celticā€™s pace, nearly saw Kuhn break the dea...

Celtic prepare for Champions League by thrashing Raith

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 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 matchesā€”just one shy of the record set by Gordon Strachanā€™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 Raithā€™s resistance, now boasts 21 goals for the seasonā€”proving himself an able replacement for the departed Kyogo Furuhashi, with six goals in his last three outings. More news from the Scottish Cup Celticā€™s strength in depth on display I...

Icons: Henrik Larsson

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It's time to explore another football icon. Henrik Larsson is a Swedish professional football coach and former player, formerly an assistant manager of Barcelona.  Larsson celebrating a goal for Celtic in 2005. The start of a wonderful career. Playing as a striker, Larsson began his career with Hƶgaborgs BK. In 1992, he moved to Helsingborg IF where in his first season his partnership up front with Mats Magnusson helped the club win promotion  after over 20 seasons in the lower tiers.  He moved to Feyenoord in November 1993, staying for four years before leaving in 1997. During his time in the Dutch Eredivisie, he won two KNVB Cups with Feyenoord. Trevor Stolk told us: "He should have stayed with us for much longer. Look at what he did for Celtic. He could have achieved that with us if he'd stayed longer." Larsson also broke into the Swedish national football team and helped them finish in third place at the 1994 World Cup. He was gaining a lot of fans but whe...

Scotland; Celtic champions again

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 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...

Rangers stun Celtic with late winner

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Celtic 2 - 3 Rangers Rangers revelled in their second round of jubilant celebrations in just four days as Hamza Igamaneā€™s stunning late goal inflicted Celticā€™s first Scottish Premiership home defeat since December 2023. Author - Sean M Stadium - Celtic Park Pre match atmosphere. Picture from Super News Affiliate on Flickr Barry Fergusonā€™s side made a blistering start, storming into a two-goal lead by half-time. Nico Raskin glanced in a flicked header early on, before Mohamed Diomande drilled a low shot into the net to put the visitors firmly in control. However, with the exertions of Thursdayā€™s dramatic Europa League triumph over Fenerbahce beginning to take their toll, title-chasing Celtic mounted a spirited fightback. Daizen Maeda powered home a towering header, and Reo Hatate coolly slotted in an equaliser to set up a frantic finale. With momentum seemingly swinging in the hostsā€™ favour, it was Rangers who delivered the decisive moment. Igamane capitalised on Alistair Johnstonā€™...

Scotland: Celtic remain in charge of title race

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Dundee 1 - 2 Celtic A double from James Forrest helped Celtic beat Dundee and maintained their three-point Scottish Premiership lead. A screen grab from a Twitter video showing Celtic players celebrating. Forrest marked his return to the Celtic starting line-up with a stunning first-half volley from the edge of the box and low drive midway through the second period. Dundee got back into the game after Adam Idah deflected an Antonio Portales shot past Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart. Despite some late pressure, they were unable to deny the visitors victory. Despite another win for Rangers, the title is still Celtic's to lose with four rounds of fixtures to play and the Old Firm still to meet.  Dundee remain two points behind fifth-placed St Mirren and remain in contention for a Europa Conference qualifying place. Should they achieve that, it would surely be the best season in their recent history.  You can find out what the Celtic manager thought by watching the video below. Th...

Celtic suffer heartbreak in Munich

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Bayern Munich 1 - 1 Celtic (Bayern Munich won 2-1 on aggregate) Celticā€™s Champions League journey came to a dramatic and heartbreaking end as Bayern Munich struck deep into stoppage time, sealing a 3-2 aggregate victory and crushing Brendan Rodgersā€™ sideā€™s hopes of a stunning upset in Germany. Author - Andrew Cheshire Stadium - Allianz Arena Having lost the first leg 2-1 at Parkhead, Celtic knew they needed a big performanceā€”and they delivered. Nicolas KĆ¼hn fired them into a shock lead just after the hour mark, pouncing on a defensive error from Kim Min-jae to slot past Manuel Neuer. The Hoops had already squandered several golden chances in the first half, with KĆ¼hn, Callum McGregor, and Daizen Maeda (twice) all going close. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane rattled the crossbar before being withdrawn at half-time. Champions League: 2024/2025 More Celtic news and stories Bayern, rattled by Celticā€™s intensity, pushed hard for an equaliser. Leon Goretzka nodded wide, Joshua Kimm...

Scotland: Celtic progress to Scottish Cup Final

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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...

PL News: Ange Postecoglou close to becoming Spurs boss

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Reports from across England and Scotland have suggested Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has agreed to become the new Tottenham manager on a two-year contract. The Australian has just finished his second season at Celtic. He has them to the Scottish title both years and the domestic treble this campaign. Could he continue going forward with the Parkhead side.  Spurs have been searching for a new main man since Antonio Conte's exit in March. Cristian Stellini and then Ryan Mason both took on the job on an interim basis but struggled to have any success. Cristian Stellini's was arguably a huge disaster.  Premier League news: Tottenham sack interim manager (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Very few Tottenham fans will ever really forget that horrible afternoon at Newcastle a few weeks ago.  More Premier League news:  Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)   Picture of Postecoglou during his first season at Celtic The final elements of the de...

Can anyone stop Celtic in Scotland?

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 Itā€™s a question every top-flight manager, and some beyond, must be wrestling with.  And if the answer seems elusive, a bigger question arises that is, how do you stop them? Author - Sean M As they pursue a fourth consecutive league title, Brendan Rodgers' side have already thumped three past Rangers, triumphed at second-placed Aberdeen, and hammered the same opponents 6-0 in the League Cup semi-final. Their domestic dominance isnā€™t just impressive ā€“ itā€™s overwhelming. Out of a possible 42 Premiership points, Celtic have amassed 40. They boast a seven-point lead at the top of the table, which could stretch to ten with a win in their game in hand. They remain unbeaten away from home in the league, and across all competitions, theyā€™ve netted a staggering 65 goals in 22 games.  Celtic fans have been loving this season so far. The video below shows fans response to that extraordinary win over Aberdeen in the League Cup. Rodgers has done this before. In his first sea...

Scotland: Celtic start title defence in style

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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 Oā€™Riley corner into the far post. Nicolas-Gerrit KĆ¼hn made it three on the hour mark with a deflected strike that looped over Kilmarnockā€™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, Celticā€™s Kyogo Furuhashi was denied by a bri...

Scotland: A brief history of Celtic v Rangers

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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. ItĀ“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...

Scotland: Celtic lift League Cup

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Hibernian 1 - 2 Celtic Let's have a look at how the match unfolded and some of the best reaction Kyogo Furuhashi inspired Celtic to their first trophy under Ange Postecoglou with a compelling Scottish League Cup final victory over Hibernian. The Japanese forward finished smartly to get Celtic level within a minute of them going behind to Paul Hanlon's towering header for Hibs. He was then too quick for Hibs' defenders as he latched on to a quick free-kick to lob Matt Macey and win Celtic the trophy. The Celtic boss was delighted Ange Postecoglou spoke with the media after the match: "I can't guarantee success, but I wanted to give the fans hope and they saw that from the first day. It hasn't been smooth, we have had ups and downs, but I think they saw hope in us. "The players are so resilient. I'm so happy they have had their rewards for it today." šŸ—£ Ange Postecoglou on Kyogo: ā€œGood luck trying to keep him out today mate, there was no cha...

Scotland: Celtic win the double

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 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. šŸ†ā¬†ļø 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 ā€” 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 extend lead at the top of the table

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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 extend lead at top of the table

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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 Maedaā€™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 Maswanhiseā€™s shot on Kasper Schmeichel ā€™s goalline, deflecting it behind. The hosts doubled their lead so...

Scotland: Celtic win first Glasgow Derby of the season

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 Rangers 0 - 1 Celtic Brendan Rodgers responded to questions about his second spell at Celtic with a statement win in what was a controversial Glasgow Derby.  Kyogo Furuhashi once again delivered the decisive moment, taking advantage of a poor defence just before half-time to score.  The winning goal goal came after a strike from Rabbi Matondo was disallowed for offside in the first minute.  Before the match, Michael Beale has stressed the importance of 'setting a milestone' after Wednesday's humiliating Champions League defeat at Eindhoven, but the pressure will now rest on the Ibrox boss, who has not only one win in six derbies.  Rangers fans created a memorable atmosphere at Ibrox in the build up to the match but they fell silent once they went 1-0 up.  UCL: PSV thrash Rangers Celtic's defence wasn't at full strength and included central defenders Lagerbielke and Liam Scales making their Old Firm debut. It wasn't pretty at times, but everyone associa...