Arrogant assumptions cost Celtic a Treble and UCL progression | OneFootball

Celtic were dumped out of the Champions League this evening after a defeat on penalties to Kairat Almaty. Just months after losing the Scottish Cup Final on spot kicks Brendan Rodgers’ side were again beaten after a disappointing 120 minutes of football in the UCL Playoff.

Celtic supporters will bemoan the club’s lack of investment this summer when attacking reinforcements were glaring required as the route to this latest European humbling. However, last January, Celtic had the opportunity to build with these European games in mind and plan ahead.

After securing passage to the knockout phase of the UCL, Kyogo looked set to leave the club for Rennes. It was a surprising development that Jota would return to the club and indeed a welcome one. Celtic were struggling out wide and required cover to supplement Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kühn, who had enjoyed a wonderful UCL campaign. Kyogo departed and Celtic were reportedly considering a late move for Mathias Kvistgaarden and Sondre Ørjasæter. Neither move transpired and Celtic added Jeff Schlupp on a loan deal with the club opting against paying a ‘January premium’ with sources indicating that they’d make their moves in the summer.

UEFA Champions League Celtic Glasgow vs Young Boys Bern, Celtic Park. Goal celebration by Kyogo Furuhashi however VAR rules out the goal. Photo Joeran Steinsiek IMAGO

The decision not to replace Kyogo would be vindicated by Maeda’s excellent form through the middle but given the Japanese star had moved through the middle, there was a lack of depth on the outside. Kühn was being linked with moves away from the club in the summer and it was widely expected that this would follow as the season progressed.

Celtic looked tired in the latter part of the season and the manager spoke at length about the squad requiring quality, pace and power. Jota had arrived and would bring quality but at the expense of the deadly Kyogo. At Tannadice Jota would suffer an injury that would take him out of contention until 2026, something that the club have known about since the end of last season.

Jota celebrates. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Ultimately Celtic lost out to Aberdeen at Hampden after an insipid performance, which mirrored the legs against Kairat. There was a real lack of urgency and quality that had been put down to a leggy team at the end of the season. The lack of quality forward options in turn meant that Celtic lost the chance at a Treble and Jimmy Thelin’s side capitalised.

This summer started with the brilliant re-signing of Kieran Tierney. It was hoped that it was a statement of intent from the manager to get his players in and play the way that he wanted. The Irishman wanted cover for Tierney, which is still outstanding, to allow the Scottish internationalist to play as many games as he could but stave off the threat of injury. The main focus had been the acquisition of wingers and a striker to replace Kyogo and Kühn, who the club allowed to leave for FC Como.

Peter Lawwell, Michael Nicholson and Christopher McKay watch on as Celtic draw 0-0 with Kairat at Celtic Park in the UEFA Champions League play-off match, worth over £40m to the winners.

Remarkably, the rumours cooled and the targets – Jakob Breum and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, appeared to be in contention. The UCL deadline came and went and no reinforcements were added. What you got was a blunted instrument trying to breakdown a well drilled unit. Celtic’s hierarchy whether by circumstance or arrogance went into the biggest games of the season with a squad that did not have the necessary quality to play European football.

Perhaps Celtic had made arrogant assumptions about the team that had a lower UEFA rating than St Johnstone, an arrogant assumption that they’d simply blow them away. European football is seldom straight forward and this board, who have overseen defeats to Malmo, Maribor, Cluj and Ferencvaros in recent years, will know that.

Brendan’s side drop into the Europa League, which it is fair to say is probably the level. This means that Celtic will have to play their European Football on Thursday nights this year and it looks like they’ll add signings in the coming days. It is, albeit, too little too late for the UCL ambitions and frankly unacceptable that the club have allowed the manager to go into a game of this magnitude without adding either a striker or a winger.