Celtic secured a vital 4-2 victory over Utrecht at Parkhead, booking their place in February's Europa League play-offs. The Scottish Premiership champions made a scintillating start to the game, netting three goals inside just 19 minutes thanks to strikes from Benjamin Nygren and an own goal by Nick Viergever, with Arne Engels converting a penalty. Celtic doubled their lead after a catalogue of errors at the back from Utrecht, before the visitors briefly pulled level with two more goals.
However, Celtic regained control of the game with a couple of well-worked counter-attacks, one of which saw Aaron Trusty head in from a corner to seal the win and confirm the Hoops' place in the play-offs on February 19 and 26. The draw for the knockout phase will be revealed this Friday.
Celtic's manager Martin O'Neill described his team as "deserving" of their victory, praising their resilience after being down to ten men just a week ago. O'Neill also expressed his pride at his players' ability to come back from adversity, stating that the mentality within the group has been amazing over the past couple of weeks.
Robbie Keane, who will be managing Ferencvaros in the play-offs, had mixed feelings about facing Celtic again after being drawn against them. While he acknowledged Martin O'Neill's experience and reputation as one of the most successful managers in the game, Keane also expressed his admiration for O'Neill's work ethic and ability to energize the players.
Celtic will now focus on strengthening their squad ahead of the play-offs, with captain Callum McGregor hailing the team's resilience and determination. McGregor praised his manager's leadership, stating that he trusts the club to get the right players in place.
However, Celtic regained control of the game with a couple of well-worked counter-attacks, one of which saw Aaron Trusty head in from a corner to seal the win and confirm the Hoops' place in the play-offs on February 19 and 26. The draw for the knockout phase will be revealed this Friday.
Celtic's manager Martin O'Neill described his team as "deserving" of their victory, praising their resilience after being down to ten men just a week ago. O'Neill also expressed his pride at his players' ability to come back from adversity, stating that the mentality within the group has been amazing over the past couple of weeks.
Robbie Keane, who will be managing Ferencvaros in the play-offs, had mixed feelings about facing Celtic again after being drawn against them. While he acknowledged Martin O'Neill's experience and reputation as one of the most successful managers in the game, Keane also expressed his admiration for O'Neill's work ethic and ability to energize the players.
Celtic will now focus on strengthening their squad ahead of the play-offs, with captain Callum McGregor hailing the team's resilience and determination. McGregor praised his manager's leadership, stating that he trusts the club to get the right players in place.
. Utrecht just couldn't handle their pace and skill. and omg Aaron Trusty's header at the end sealed it nicely 
. gotta give it to Martin O'Neill and the team for bouncing back from that tough patch, shows great mental strength 
. now they've got a chance to make some noise in the Europa League... fingers crossed 
️ Just saw Celtic's thrilling 4-2 win over Utrecht 
! Their attacking flair was impressive, with Benjamin Nygren's goal being a real highlight 
! But what struck me most was Martin O'Neill's post-match praise for his team's resilience 
- it's clear that the squad has been working on building mental toughness over the past week 
. It'll be interesting to see how Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros match up against them in the play-offs 
... Celtic's squad strengthening plans are also going to be crucial, especially with Callum McGregor's confidence in O'Neill's leadership 
.
! Martin O'Neill must be one proud gaffer, he's got this team of winners 
. And can we talk about how great their squad looks now? They're getting in some top players to strengthen them up for the play-offs... fingers crossed they make a good run in it 
! 
just watched celtic destroy utrecht 4-2 at parkhead!! benjamin nygren and arne engels were ON FIRE 
and now they're gonna make it to the europa league play-offs!!! 
), but come on, this feels like more than just a random draw...
Their ability to bounce back from being down 2-0 at one point was truly impressive. I think it speaks volumes about Martin O'Neill's tactical acumen and his team's collective mentality. The fact that they were able to turn the game around with some well-worked counter-attacks is a testament to their skillset. 
They just took down Utrecht 4-2 and locked in a spot for the Europa League play-offs 
I'm so hyped for them, they've been through so much and to come out on top like this? 
And Robbie Keane is right too, Celtic are definitely one of the strongest teams in Europe right now 
can't wait for the play-offs! 
- now let's see if they can keep that momentum going in the play-offs 
. They couldn't handle Celtic's pace and skill, so it's not like they were unlucky or anything 
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. I'm loving the confidence he exudes, especially after what they went through last week. It's clear that this squad has something special and I'm rooting for them to bring home that Europa League trophy 
!
. and now they get to face ferencvaros again... that's gonna be a tough one 
. can't wait to see how they strengthen their squad ahead of the play-offs 
. Martin O'Neill's got them on the right track and it's clear he's done his homework on their opponents 
- it'll be a tough match, but I'm confident Celtic will come out on top 
". but its all good cuz they gotta focus on getting the squad strong 4 the playoffs now 
i'm rootin 4 them all da way 
! i'm so hyped for the europa league play-offs 
, squad strengthening is key now 
. Remember how United came from 1-0 down to win 2-1 at Old Trafford? It's like a similar story here with Celtic, but instead of being down by one goal they were down by two 
. Bring on Ferencvaros, let's see what they can do against these Hoops!