Celtic slumped to a 3-1 home defeat against Ferencvaros in their Europa League opener on Thursday, with supporters' frustration evident as Celtic Park emptied during the match. Meanwhile, the club announced board appointments including Mark Keane and Raymond Buchanan as non-executive directors, though fan channels expressed skepticism about whether the 'refresh' addresses deeper structural issues.
Match news
Ferencvaros stuns Celtic in Europa opener
Celtic fell to a 3-1 defeat at home to Ferencvaros in their UEFA Europa League League Phase opener on Thursday 17 September at 20:00. Bamidele Yusuf opened the scoring in the 20th minute after poor defending from Kieran Tierney, Mika Baur equalized in the 44th minute, but Kristoffer Zachariassen's goal in the 45th minute and Daniel Arzani's strike in the 47th proved decisive. Celtic dominated possession with 63% but paid the price for defensive errors.
Celtic turn focus immediately to the Premiership with Rangers visiting Celtic Park on Sunday 20 September at 11:00 UK time. The derby comes three days after the Europa League disappointment and offers Martin O'Neill's side an immediate chance to respond. Celtic currently lead Rangers 13-6 in the league table.
Celtic announced the appointments of Mark Keane and Raymond Buchanan as non-executive directors on Thursday. Keane, 55, founder of Slievemore investment office and a major shareholder, takes up his position immediately. Buchanan, 49, joins following his current role as Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water. The appointments fill vacancies left by departures of Peter Lawwell and Tom Allison.
While Celtic framed the appointments as a 'boardroom refresh', fan channels and supporter commentary expressed caution. Read Celtic and Celtic Way questioned whether the new directors—particularly Keane, who has family ties to the club—will genuinely address long-standing concerns about recruitment strategy, European competitiveness, and communication with supporters.
Source: Read Celtic, Celtic Way
From the fan channels
Ferencvaros exposes familiar problems
Fan channels united in frustration after Thursday night. The consensus on Celtic Quick News, The Celtic Star and 67 Hail Hail was damning: Celtic offered little defensively, and their attacking play lacked precision. Comments from Video Celts viewers captured the mood—"We're too easy to play against"—while supporters pointed to squad talent being let down by tactical execution.
Source: Celtic Quick News, The Celtic Star, 67 Hail Hail, Video Celts
Belief and accountability under scrutiny
Celtic News Now's post-match coverage noted repeated themes: the team 'looked like it had no belief' and individual performances drew particular criticism. Captain Callum McGregor and centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers were singled out, with one prevailing sentiment that without individual improvement, tactical changes alone will not fix the problems.
Source: Celtic News Now
Board accountability still front and centre
Celtic Supporters Ltd maintained pressure on the board, with the day's appointments sparking immediate debate on whether new faces bring real change. Fan commentary across The Celtic Star, 67 Hail Hail and Celtic Quick News expressed mixed responses: some supporters questioned whether Keane's appointment, given his family ties to previous regimes, would result in genuine strategic shift or perpetuate existing patterns.
Source: The Celtic Star, 67 Hail Hail, Celtic Quick News
Rangers as chance for redemption
Despite the Ferencvaros setback, fan channels framed Sunday's derby as a golden opportunity. Read Celtic and The Celtic Way noted that a Premiership win would restore immediate credibility before the next European fixture. One overwhelming sentiment: the next fortnight will define the entire season.
Source: Read Celtic, The Celtic Way
Next up
Celtic v Rangers — Premiership — Sunday 20 September at 11:00 — home
Motherwell v Celtic — Premiership — Sunday 11 October at 11:00 — away
Celtic v Hearts — Premiership — Sunday 18 October at 14:00 — home
Who's out
Kieran Tierney — Groin — Doubt — Expected to return for Rangers match on Sunday 20 September.
Kasper Høgh — Groin — Doubt — Back in full training, expected to be available for Rangers.
Alistair Johnston — Hamstring — Out — Individual training underway; unavailable for European and early Premiership fixtures.
Filipe Jota — ACL — Out — Contact training progressing; expected return in October.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — Suspension — Out — Red card suspension from previous club carries over.
Hyun-Jun Yang — International duty — Out — Away with South Korea at Asian Games until 3 October.
Camilo Duran — Visa/Administrative — Doubt — Major doubt for next two fixtures due to visa issues requiring travel to London.