Celtic unwanted 'world record' quip, best starting XI admission and player who might cry if he scores
Celtic look for Europa League spark on bonfire night
Celtic host Besiktas on Guy Fawkes Night hoping to rediscover the fireworks of exactly two years ago when a Champions League masterclass inflicted a 3-1 defeat on RB Leipzig.
The decline of the Parkhead club in Europe since that run to the knockout stages that saw them come within seconds of taking Bayern Munich to extra-time for a place in the last 16 has been well documented.
It should also be noted that such success on the continent is the exception as Celtic's two previous November 5 results in Europe will testify, namely a 4-1 home defeat by Sparta Prague in 2020 and a 2-1 home loss to Molde in 2015.
As bonfires are lit across the country, Celtic's focus will be on preventing their Europa League flame from burning out as they go in search of their first points of the campaign after successive defeats by Ferencvaros, Benfica and Celta Vigo.
One of only four teams still on zero points after three matches, Martin O'Neill's side are only being kept off the bottom of the 36-team table due to the fact that minnows Ararat Armenia have a worse goal difference.
There are still 15 points left to play for so all is not lost, but the recovery needs to start now.
“I was told that any team who’s lost their first three games haven’t made it through, so it doesn’t augur brilliantly for us if that’s the case,” O’Neill said during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“So if we go on for a fourth one, then that would be a world record.
“We’re definitely running out of matches, no question about it. But we are capable of still qualifying if, let’s say, 10 points is the mark.
”It means you really have to go away and win, not draw."
There are six survivors from the Celtic team that played in that statement win over Leipzig. Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Callum McGregor started while Liam Scales and Hyun-Jun Yang appeared off the bench.
Johnston and Yang are both unavailable although the latter has returned to training and could return as soon as Sunday, when the Scottish champions host Kilmarnock in the Premiership.
After their weekend 2-0 defeat at Falkirk, Celtic have won just three of their last 10 matches in all competitions and O'Neill admits he is still unsure of his best starting XI.
"I keep getting asked this question and until I know exactly what everyone can do at the football club, then I probably won't know that," he said. "It's not always knowing about your best team because we've had a lot of games and we're rotating a bit as well to try and save some legs, save a little bit of energy.
"I think it's our ninth game in about 20 odd days. We're in these competitions and we're trying to do our best.
"Once each player has had an opportunity, for instance [Jordan] Latomba hasn't really had a proper opportunity, and once players get a couple of matches then you can make a decision. But your best team might be for a certain game and your best team for European competition might be something else."
Former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu returns to Parkhead for the first time since his 2024 summer departure. The South Korea international netted 12 goals in 18 months in Glasgow but only started six of his 47 appearances.
After being signed under Ange Postecoglou, he found game time increasingly hard to come by under Brendan Rodgers. But a move to Genk in the summer of 2024 allowed him to move his career forward and he joined Besiktas in January for a fee of around £12million.
Speaking in English at a pre-match media conference, Oh said: “I’m so excited. It’s very special for me to be back here.
“I couldn’t speak English properly back then but everyone welcomed me like family here. And Celtic became like my second home. Maybe I will be emotional if I score but I will give everything for Besiktas.”
Reflecting on his time in Scotland, Oh added: “I came here as a young boy with a dream. It was sometimes hard for me, sometimes good for me.
“I have got good memories here. I always be grateful for everything and the fans. If I score, maybe I will cry. I learned a lot about my position from Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah.
“In my last season here, I didn’t play for the last six months so it was a hard time for me. But I’m very happy to be back here because I love Celtic so much. It has a special place in my heart.
“After I left Celtic, it was good motivation for me. I wanted to show what I could do and how much I have improved. Finally I am back here and I have to show them.”
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