Celtic

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Since Kasper Schmeichel signed for Celtic 15 months ago, the Denmark goalkeeper has been a mostly reliable presence, his place in the team rarely questioned.

However, a couple of high-profile clangers have increased the pressure on the 38-year-old. With understudy Viljami Sinisalo waiting in the wings, could manager Brendan Rodgers be tempted into a change?

Schmeichel's latest error was glaring. In Thursday night's crucial Europa League match against Braga, the keeper flapped at an ambitious 30-yard effort from Ricardo Horta.

The ball swerved and dipped, and Schmeichel used the wrong arm to try to bat it away. Instead, the shot flew into the corner of the net, Schmeichel alongside it, and Celtic were a goal down on their way to a 2-0 home defeat.

You do not have to think too far back for another mistake. This time, it wasn't just a high-profile match. It was the Scottish Cup final with the treble on the line.

With just seven minutes to go of normal time and Celtic leading Aberdeen 1-0, Schmeichel somehow punched a low Shayden Morris cross backwards and into the net. Rodgers' side went on to lose on penalties.

Despite those blunders, the statistics show this season has actually been one of improvement so far for the Dane.

Last term (in league and European games, excluding qualifiers), he conceded a goal every 97 minutes. This season, albeit over a much smaller sample size, that time period has extended to every 180 minutes - or every two games.

He's already up to five clean sheets, nearing a quarter of his total last season (22). His save percentage sits at 79% compared to 74% last season. In the Premiership, it's as high as 89% - the best in the league.

However, it can sometimes be the goals prevented stat that tells you more of a story. It is calculated by taking the xGoT (expected goals on target) from shots on target a goalkeeper has faced, and subtracting the number of goals conceded.

Last season, Schmeichel's xGP was 3.2 in European competitions and the league. This season it sits at 0.0 - meaning he's not doing better than expected, but also not doing worse.

When Finland international Sinisalo has been given a chance, he has not looked out of his depth. The 23-year-old has kept a clean sheet in half of his 10 appearances, the bulk of which came at the end of last season when Schmeichel was injured.

Could Sinisalo now be thrust into the limelight at Schmeichel's expense?

Celtic fans, we want your views. Is it time for a change or should Rodgers stick with Schmeichel? Tell us here.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Captain Callum McGregor accepts Celtic's "poor start" to the Europa League isn't good enough, but feels the club have both the time and quality to make amends and qualify for the knockout phase.

The 2-0 defeat to Braga was the fifth time Celtic have failed to score in 12 matches this season, although the Scottish champions are adamant the officials made a mistake in ruling out Kelechi Iheanacho's equaliser for handball.

It means Brendan Rodgers' side have just a single point to show for their opening two games in Europe's second-tier competition.

"It's a poor start," said McGregor. "We go away, we do okay in Belgrade and big moments (against Braga) don't really go for you, but if we're honest then it's a poor start and now we have to get going and get enough points if we want to qualify.

"We have to get into the knockout phase, I think that's obvious. We certainly have enough quality to do it, so it's now on the players to make it happen.

"We'll continue to work as hard as we ever do to make sure that things start to fall for us and it goes the right way. There's still a lot of football to be played, there's still six games to go."

Celtic may have to win the remaining three home ties against Sturm Graz, Utrecht and Roma to ease any nerves about making into the knockouts.

Maximum points from those matches seems a long way off, given the relative ease with which Braga secured victory.

The drop-off in quality from some of Celtic's European performances last season is stark. McGregor feels he and his team-mates are still very much a work in progress.

"We're still getting there in terms of the team and the fluidity and the connections. There's a lot of new guys as well which takes time to build that level," he said.

"Then when you're getting the draws and it's not quite falling for you like at the weekend (against Hibs) you then come into this and it just feels like the key moments are going against you at the minute.

"We just have to ride it out, we have to keep working. Hopefully it will just spark overnight and you'll just have one game where everything drops and then hopefully the team will go and fly from there."

We asked for your views on Celtic's 2-0 home defeat to Braga in their second Europa League tie.

Here's what some of you said:

Patrick: Not sure how the goal was disallowed, seemed to come off his head. Regardless, the non-goal came from a Braga error. Zero creativity. The players look exhausted already after only 10 games. Absolutely not good enough.

Ewan: Another poor result. We weren't good enough but the disallowed goal changed the games and if it stood we probably would have gone on to win. It was a shocking decision. Sebastian Tounekti is the only positive and the fact that Brendan Rodgers finally tried something different and went with a back three in the second half.

Benny: Inept, toothless, clueless, no urgency, no desire, no cutting edge and no resemblance to a Celtic team whatsoever. There is something really wrong at Celtic and there's no solution in sight going by that abject performance. On this evidence, there will be no progress from the Europa League and maybe that's not a bad thing. Further embarrassment to come in the upcoming games, I fear. A shadow of the team from last season, sadly.

Grant: There's just no belief in this team. No confidence. Callum McGregor well of the pace with no intensity or urgency. Daizen Maeda looks like he wants away. On the positive Tounekti is really good for us as is Marcelo Saracchi. I think Kelechi Iheanacho will be excellent for us once he gets up to speed. Kieran Tierney is massively short of fitness and doesn't look comfortable. I wouldn't be said to see Brendan Rodgers go, the football we are playing is dire.

Sam: Dull and drab. Braga should have had fear in their belly coming here, yet they had confidence and finished clinically. Maeda needs time out the squad. Luke McCowan, Yang Hyun-Jun and Johnny Kenny should be more involved. Iheanacho is doing his best and looks good.

Jim: Toothless in attack, clueless in defence. It looks like we are more comfortable playing backwards than going forward.

Chris: We are playing boring, negative football. The system doesn't suit the players as they are timid and error-prone in this mode. I propose a radical change in style which doesn't involve constantly playing out from the back or watching centre-halves pass to each other and the goalkeeper.

Gordy: Ridiculous VAR decision stopped the tide turning our way in the game. But otherwise another tepid performance. Lots of clamouring for Bernardo to start but he was awful, especially defensively. Kasper Schmeichel needs to be rested. Maeda huffed and puffed but contributed very little threat. Wheels have come off the bus.

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Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti is urging supporters to get behind the team after a disappointing 2-0 defeat at home to Braga.

Brendan Rodgers' side have picked up one point from their opening two Europa League game, but Tounekti insists Thursday night's game would have gone differently had Kelechi Iheanacho's equaliser not been controversially disallowed.

"We watched the video over again and I spoke to Kele about it, it was never a handball," the 23-year-old said.

"It was his face. I'm really interested in what VAR saw on the video because that was never a handball. We got the goal so early in the second half I think if that goal stood we would win the game 100%."

The attacker, who joined from Swedish side Hammarby last month, made his home European debut against Braga.

"It's always a dream to come out here and play in front of the fans at this stadium," he added.

"Especially on nights like this. The fans are always incredible and they back us every time.

"We need the fans more than ever. I know they will be behind us every game so we have to give back to them.

"We have to get up again and keep going. On Sunday [against Motherwell] we have to go out and make a good game.

"For us it's really important to get going again because we're going to play many games and we want to perform in every competition we are in."

Striker Callum Osmand, Celtic's 19-year-old summer signing from Fulham, rejected the chance to join a Scottish Championship club on loan despite player pathway manager Shaun Maloney being keen. (Celtic Way), external

Rafael Benitez attended Arsenal's Champions League win over Olympiacos as the 65-year-old managerial legend remains keen on a return to the dugout after leaving Celta Vigo and former Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer thinks the Spaniard would be ideal for Celtic or Rangers. (Daily Record), external

Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate's World Cup dream is in danger after the 27-year-old was left out of Japan's squad for the third time in a row. (The National), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "I can't understand why the referee isn't asked to go and have a look at that [Iheanacho's disallowed goal].

"If you look at it once, twice, I'm assuming the people in the VAR room have looked at it more than that, there's absolutely no way whatever way you look it that Iheanacho has touched it. That's a huge moment in the game.

"It was a big moment in the game. We started the half well and we continued to push."

On Kasper Schmeichel's role in the opening goal, Rodgers added: "He'll be really disappointed with it.

"It's a good strike and it's obviously moved a little bit but I haven't spoken to Schmeichel about it."

On Celtic's lack of goals, Rodgers said: "Whatever it is I need to find the solution to it.

"There's been too many games now where we haven't scored for a team that, last season, scored the most goals in the last 54 years in the clubs' history.

"It's my responsibility to find the solutions to that. We got into some good areas and the keeper made some good saves but we still need to be more aggressive."

On whether the lack of summer recruitment played a part in the drop off up front, the manager added: "It doesn't really matter what it is because nothing is going to change in that aspect until at least January so I need to find an answer to them.

"The next game, we need to win that.

"It's a big game for us and if we're going to push on then we have to win that.

"I thought the support we got tonight was great. It's an early kick off, a real challenge for a lot of supporters to get to the game but they got there and gave us excellent support. We hope they find a solution.

"We have to analyse the games and know we can be better, it's constant work. I think the rhythm in the team isn't quite there. All players can make a mistake in the game but Kasper has made some great saves for us."

Celtic suffered further European disappointment after goals in each half earned Sporting Braga victory in a chaotic Europa League encounter at Parkhead.

Read the full match report here

Have your say via this link

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

How times have changed for Celtic. As they prepare for their first home European league-phase game against Braga, a few home truths are hard to avoid.

This is a match that almost certainly won't sell out; in a competition the club didn't want to be in; in front of a section of fans who intended to stage a silent protest before postponing it; supporting a team that is struggling to score goals.

Apart from that, it's all good in the Parkhead garden.

The simmering discontent amid a sizeable chunk of the support is unlikely to be eased when they hear the much-less-heralded Europa League anthem blaring out.

It's the Champions League tune they were expecting to hear again this season, and everything's fallen flat following the failure to make it to the big boys' playground.

Indeed, some fans still want heads to roll. The faces are prominently displayed on protest banners that now form part of the Celtic matchday experience.

It's highly likely there will be huge gaps in the stands. The electric charge that often sparks the stadium into life on European nights won't be as strong as usual.

This short-term pain could bring longer-term gain for Brendan Rodgers and his side, however. Take a look at some of the Champions League results. Real Madrid smashing five past Celtic's conquerors Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan.

Atletico Madrid taking five off recent Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt. A five-star showing too from Harry Kane and Bayern Munich in Pafos.

For teams not quite at the top level, the drop down to the Europa League may actually leave a soft landing and potential platform for improvement.

Even the most green-tinted of spectacles couldn't seriously contend that the current squad is equipped to take on Europe's elite.

Rodgers' men didn't look out of place in Belgrade last week though. Far from it. They created enough chances to win and could take solace in a good point gained on the road.

Braga shouldn't be too high a bar to get over either, particularly in Glasgow. They only have one win in their past five. It did come in this competition, against Feyenoord, so Celtic will still have to be on their game to win.

Should they do so, they'll have four points from six on the European front. A solid base for any team with eyes on the knockout phase.

It's then not beyond the realm of possibility that Celtic could put together a deep run in the tournament, if a couple of key players can be nursed back to fitness and the club recruits better in January.

Tonight's Europa League fanfare won't be music to anyone's ears inside the ground, but if it's still being played in the spring perhaps the refrain will become a little more catchy.

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Braga centre-half Gustaf Lagerbielke is relishing being back at Celtic Park as he dismissed any notion that his two years with the Scottish champions was a negative experience.

The Sweden international joined Celtic from Elfsborg in 2023 but made just 10 appearances for Brendan Rodgers' side, all in the 2023-24 campaign.

Lagerbielke spent last season on loan with Dutch side Twente before being sold to Braga in July.

The 25-year-old, whose stoppage-time goal against Feyenoord in December 2023 secured Celtic a first home win in the Champions League for a decade, has been handed a swift return to Glasgow with his Portuguese club in the Europa League on Thursday.

"It was a good year I had here, so it's nice to be back," he said. "If I summarise the two years, I would say that I learned a lot, both what it means to be part of a big club like Celtic and a lot of football stuff.

"Then, also in life, moving to another country and meeting new people and all of that.

"Then why it didn't work out? I would say it depends what you mean. During my season when I played, we won two titles [the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup], I met some incredible people and I learned a lot. I would say it was successful.

"The Feyenoord night was a good night. Scoring and winning [in the Champions League] for the first time in a while. Also winning the titles. Those were the biggest highlights."

Lagerbielke will face "very good player" and "good friend" Benjamin Nygren, the fellow Sweden international who joined Celtic this summer.

The centre-half has already accumulated more appearances for his new side, who sit seventh in the Primeira Liga, than he managed at Celtic.

"I'm very happy here, so far in Braga everything has been very good," he said.

Cluj would now accept less than £4.5m for 23-year-old striker Louis Munteanu, for whom Celtic reportedly had a £6.9m bid rejected in the summer before the Romanian club claimed a £17m transfer to Ajax or Valencia fell through, according to FCSB owner George Becali. (GSP via Daily Record), external

Brendan Rodgers is on course to leave Celtic at the end of the season, when his contract is set to expire, after contract talks collapsed last month amid a serious lack of investment in the manager's squad. (Football Insider), external

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers expects Paulo Bernardo to play a part in Thursday's Europa League match against Braga, saying the 23-year-old midfielder's lack of game time was due to injuries last season but that he is now fit. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Further silent protests from a section of Celtic supporters have been cancelled after the Scottish champions' board agreed to a meeting to "discuss ongoing concerns about the running of the club".

The Celtic Collective, an umbrella group for fans' organisations, began with a 12-minute silence in Saturday's 0-0 draw against Hibs and had called for similar action in Thursday's game with Braga and Sunday's meeting with Motherwell.

Those have now been shelved, with chief executive Michael Nicholson and chief financial officer Chris McKay among those to meet representatives of the group on 6 October.

"We welcome the club's decision to meet and engage directly on the issues raised," read a statement from the collective. "However, we remain under no illusions about the scale of change still required at board level.

"As a result of this development, the planned continuation of the 'three-match silence' has been postponed, in good faith, in the hope and expectation that supporters will now receive full and honest communication from the club.

"We thank every supporter who has stood behind this campaign and helped bring the Celtic board to the table.

"Without this unity, it would not have been possible. It highlights the strength and influence of a united Celtic support.

"The Celtic Fans Collective will continue its campaign irrespective of the outcome of this meeting, with the clear aim of securing meaningful, positive change for the betterment of Celtic Football Club and its supporters."

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Kasper Schmeichel insists Celtic are over the disappointment of not reaching the Champions League and fully focused on making an impact in the Europa League.

Having opened with a 1-1 draw away to Red Star Belgrade, Celtic host Braga on Thursday.

"The Europa League is massively important, this is our reality," the veteran goalkeeper said. "We can't affect the past now, all we can go and do is do as well in this competition as possible, so it's absolutely vitally important for us.

"Any time you put on a Celtic shirt, you're expected to win, whether it's in Europa League, Champions League, whatever it is, you're expected to win, and that's the expectations that we have for ourselves.

"You have highs, you have lows. You have to learn to deal with them and move on very fast.

"We had to move on after not making the Champions League, and we had to refocus, and that's what we've done."

Scoring has been an issue for Celtic of late, but Denmark captain Schmeichel takes heart from the concession of just three goals from their 11 matches in all competitions.

"In the time I've been here, we've been very, very solid," he said. "I think any good team is built on a solid defence.

"As a team, we press very, very high up the pitch and we defend very, very well everywhere. We minimise chances for the opposition and I think we give ourselves a platform to go and win games, so I'm very, very happy with that."

Braga are winless in their past five matches in the Portuguese top flight but started their Europa League campaign with a 1-0 home win over Feyenoord.

"I think they'll be a tough team to play against, but I'm very confident that if we play up to our potential, then we'll be able to win the game," added Schmeichel.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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As he addressed the media at Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers' mind drifted back a couple of times, possibly wistfully, to this time last year.

Celtic were flying high amid a dominant start to the domestic campaign allied to strong showings in the Champions League, particularly in the first home match in which five goals were put past Slovan Bratislava.

By contrast, Celtic have only scored once in three European outings this season. The Parkhead boss is adamant it's "not rocket science" as to why, alluding to the delay in sourcing adequate replacements for the departed Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn and the injured Jota.

"Of course we're not scoring as many goals as normal but the team is still showing a really resilient side," said Rodgers.

"We haven't lost this season. Defensively we're very strong. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand where and why we haven't got the goals, because a manager can always transform a team, but the trajectory of a team will always come down to the level of players that you have. That has not changed in football.

"It's not rocket science, it was the same way back years ago as to what it is now. The players ultimately will transform the trajectory of your football.

"So for us, we brought some new players in, we give them time to settle in. Once we've done that, we support them and the players that are here.

"We continue to work with them and look to push the levels as we go through the season."

Rodgers insists Celtic will give the Europa League their fullest attention, even if many supporters are at best ambivalent about European football's second-tier competition.

"It's very important," he said. "We didn't earn the right as a club to be in the Champions League. We wanted to be there but we're not.

"We're still in a prestigious competition, so for us as a team and coaches and players we really look forward to this challenge.

"We're going to come up against some really, really good teams. So for us, it's still a great tournament to be involved in."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media before Celtic host Braga in the Europa League on Thursday.

Here are the key lines from the news conference:

• Rodgers is urging the club's hierarchy and supporter groups to get round a table and sort out their differences "for the longer term" benefit of the club.

• The first home Europa League match, against Braga, will mark the latest fan protest (a 29-minute silence) over how Celtic is being run and Rodgers says that until peace breaks out he'll have to "maximise" what he can get from the players and adds: "My focus is on the performance on the pitch as that's the only thing we can control."

• On the potential of some fans staying away from the game, Rodgers says: "I hope we have a full stadium. I really hope the stadium is full as this is an incredible club with a history based around the supporters."

• After failing to qualify for the Champions League, Rodgers is adamant Celtic are "all in" for the Europa League and "want to go as far as we possibly can".

• He characterises Braga as a talented side technically and tactically: "Good players and a good young manager. Like most Portuguese teams, they'll be 3-4-3 and a good test for us." He did qualify that, though, later by saying he thinks they will play "with a back five".

• Full-back Alistair Johnston is making good progress from injury but is still out while Reo Hatate and Auston Trusty have returned to training. Rodgers says he has a pretty much full-strength squad to choose from.

Image source, SNS

• After his goal against Red Star, Kelechi Iheanacho could become the seventh player to score in both of his first two major European competition appearances for Celtic, and the first since Andreas Thom and Simon Donnelly in 1995.

• Celtic have met Braga twice before in major European competition, losing a Champions League qualifier 4-2 on aggregate in 2010-11.

• Braga have played Scottish opposition on four occasions in the Europa League, losing three times to and beating Rangers once between 2020 and 2022.

• Celtic have lost just one their past eight home games in all European competitions (W4 D3), the last defeat was 2-1 to Bayern Munich in last season's Champions League.

• Braga have failed to win any of their past four away Europa League games (D1 L3), conceding nine goals during that time.

We asked you what you think Celtic's early-season lack of attacking potency is down to.

Here's what some of you said:

Joe: It's the predictable, slow build-up that gives defences time to organise and get bodies back. No pace on the crosses and no one who can score from a free-kick.

Harry: No matter who Celtic sign, Brendan Rodgers will insist on playing them out of position and forcing them to conform to his outdated 4-3-3 formation. Rodgers has stated that "metrics" are the mark of success, rather than winning matches through scoring goals with attacking football.

Patrick: The pressure is too much. Too many safe passes, not enough flair and next to no goals. I would rather see a 4-3 win than more draws.

Kevin: Celtic's defensive deficiencies, particularly the failure to deal with high crosses from free-kicks and corners, have been obvious for the past two seasons, and will be heavily punished in Europe. Rodgers' fixed 4-3-3 formation and square-ball tactics are ruining football as entertainment, and destroying Celtic as a club.

Former Celtic midfielder Peter Grant backs record signing Arne Engels to prove his worth. (Record), external

Ally McCoist, the former Rangers manager and player, urges Celtic to re-ignite the career of Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, 30. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Motherwell are going to Celtic Park on Sunday to win, says head coach Jens Berthel Askou. (Record), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Tino
Fan writer

Is it really possible to separate the action on the pitch from the unrest off it at Celtic just now?

Can fans genuinely follow the 'Sack the board, back the team' mantra when the two feel so inseparably linked?

And if protest is your chosen path, what form does it take that both supports the players on the field and shows discontent towards those running the club?

There are no simple answers, which is why many supporters currently find themselves in limbo.

Saturday's draw with Hibs began with 12 minutes of silence - a move that divided opinion - and left many questioning just how effective it really was.

And if that didn't sit well, brace yourself: two more such protests are planned, with 29-minute and 32-minute silences scheduled for this week's games against Braga and Motherwell respectively.

Protest, by its very nature, must be hard to ignore, it must be visible, and it must feel united.

Saturday's action ticked none of those boxes.

If anything, a silent protest may be the easiest to overlook - and was perhaps even the least stressful part of the day for those sitting in the Celtic directors' box.

As for visibility, a handful of posters demanding the removal of club executives, or a banner declaring "Your silence Is deafening" don't yet feel like they're hitting home.

The silence is deafening - we all know that. But what is it we actually want to achieve?

What is the clear, North Star objective that would define success for this movement?

Is it the removal of Michael Nicholson, Chris McKay, Peter Lawwell and Dermot Desmond? Would one departure suffice, or must all go before fans feel satisfied?

And what about the non-executive directors whose job is to hold the leadership to account? Should they be swept aside too?

Or is the goal simply a meaningful response from the club to the seven-point open letter, published nearly a month ago?

There's so much at play right now but - for the fanbase at least - it all comes back to one word: unity.

Without consensus on a single, shared goal, there's a real danger this campaign could lose momentum before Daizen Maeda makes haste his exit in January.

But how do you achieve that alignment in a fanbase as diverse, as passionate, and global as Celtic's?

Technology should make that easier than ever. In theory, at least.

But in practice, reaching agreement on something that matters so much to so many of us is an entirely different challenge altogether.

And so, the search goes on. For clarity, for visibility, and above all, for unity.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external