Pointless Celtic, Dermot Desmond’s participators crumble in Lisbon

Benfica 4-1 Celtic – Another European failure, when will it ever end?

Camilo Duran of Celtic FC looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 League Phase MD2 match between SL Benfica vs Celtic FC at Estádio do Lisboa e Benfica on October 15th,2026 Photo by Joao Bravo/Sports IMAGO

Another European night, and yet another abject failure as we crashed 4-1 to Benfica in Lisbon, leaving us pointless after the first two games in the Europa League.

Once again we made life difficult for ourselves, going behind after just five minutes after Dane Murray conceded a spot kick, and from then on in we knew it was going to be a very long night.

The fact that each and everyone of us knew it was curtains at such an early stage tells you everything you need to know about this Celtic side, who looked devoid of not only quality, but any sort of self belief.

We look very much like a side that doesn't really know what the hell they should be doing. Maybe just maybe, Cameron Carter Vickers was speaking the truth with his post match remarks after the home loss to the Rangers?

It certainly looked like it from the first whistle in Lisbon last night, as a quality filled Benfica side took advantage of our inability to even do the basics.

Celtic were 3-0 down at the break, and staring down the barrel of yet another heavy European defeat, with our main objective in the second half simply to keep the scoreline respectable.

We did improve a little after the interval, but it was all a little too late as the damage had already been inflicted in the first forty five minutes.

Listen, no one expected us to get a result last night, but the manner in which we lost that we can't abide. Last night they embarrassed the Hoops – in Lisbon of all places – but we are know that the club is there to participate rather than compete.

What we want to see is a side who are up for the fight, one that makes their opponents work hard for their win, and yet again we didn't see any of those qualities last night, and not for the first time in a big European night we had to witness a total embarrassment on the park from a Celtic side.

We can only ask, when will it ever end? The answer to that goes beyond a rookie centre-half, or a record signing who can't contribute or a manager whose time as an elite coach has faded as the game moved forward. It certainly doesn't land with the Celtic support who were magnificent in Lisbon. No it lies in the controlling shareholder who is strangling the life out of Celtic's ambition.

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Celtic in the Fifties by Matt Corr, in two volumes, both published on 4th September 2026 by Celtic Star Books. Click on image to order.

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