Celtic

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• Celtic secured their first win against Austrian opposition since beating FC Wacker Innsbruck in the European Cup in October 1977, ending their nine-game winless run against Austrian opponents (D3 L6).

• Celtic won after conceding the opening goal in the Europa League for the first time since 7 November 2019 against Lazio (7 games without a win).

• There were 144 seconds between Liam Scales' equaliser and Benjamin Nygren's header putting Celtic in the lead.

• Celtic's xG total of 4.24 was the highest of any side in a Europa League game this season and the Scottish side's highest total in a major European competition match on record (since 2013-14).

• Celtic's Benjamin Nygren has seven goal involvements across eight appearances in major European competition (6 goals, 1 assist).

• With an average age of 28 years 14 days, Celtic named their oldest starting XI for a major European home match since a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in November 2006 (28y 272d).

Brendan Rodgers fears Celtic duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston face lengthy lay-offs with hamstring injuries. (Sun), external

Rodgers is sweating on defender Cameron Carter-Vickers' fitness for Sunday's trip to face Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

Celtic staged an admirable second-half comeback to earn their first Europa League win of the campaign to see off 10-man Sturm Graz.

Read the match report here.

Have your say on the game here.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "I thought the performance was outstanding. As disappointed as we were at the weekend with the performance, I thought that was a really good level.

"Obviously we picked up the injuries early on, but the two young guys who came in did really well.

"We had everything you want in the team - the tempo, the speed, the energy - everything was there against a good side.

"I said before the game to the players, we've really got to show leadership now. In my experience, when those types of players are under pressure, they progress.

"And you could see from the weekend coming into this game - the progress in the team was so good, individually and collectively. And when you have a setback, like the weekend, those leaders show the motivation to go again, and we saw that tonight.

"So happy for the likes of Benji [Nygren]. He's playing out of position, showed courage to keep going, he eventually gets his goal.

"Arne Engels I thought was outstanding in the game. Coming back in, gave us that energy and that fight. And his set-piece quality really is world class.

"Tonight we weren't quite the Ferrari, but a Range Rover Sport.

"Sometimes with players you have to be harsh to be clear. And you hope that you get that reaction. These players know that I'm with them always.

"I spend my life dedicated to making this team better, to helping the club progress. And at the weekend it wasn't good enough.

"These are men. This is a big club with big expectations, and you have to know when it's not good enough.

"We knew we needed to respond immediately, so I'm pleased with that progress and that response tonight. You have to have that level of determination and thankfully we had that."

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A masterstroke of management psychology or another sign that the Brendan Rodgers era at Celtic is coming to an end?

The Scottish champions' manager captured the headlines by comparing his squad to a Honda Civic after Sunday's surprise defeat away to Dundee.

Former Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson and journalist Stephen McGowan had different interpretations of Rodgers' comments.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Neilson said: "I think Brendan has been very clever with it. We are talking about Brendan, we are talking about the board and we are not talking about the players.

"He has taken the focus and the pressure off the players, which at a club like Celtic, a leader needs to do to let them go and play.

"When I first saw it, I thought maybe he is just frustrated. But when I watched the video, I thought it was a tactical one from him.

"Because he will have the players onside. He can quite easily go in on Monday morning and have a laugh and joke about.

"If he's got them onside, he's taken the pressure away. It could be a masterstroke. It might have been frustration, but knowing Brendan and the way he works, I think he's been very clever with that one and taken the focus off the players."

McGowan, though, as a former Honda Civic owner, thought it was harsh on a car "that'll get you from A to B" and "I'm not really sure you would say the same for Celtic's attacking options at the moment".

He was not sure it was a wise comparison when his side "seem to be lacking a bit of confidence and drive" and suggested that Dundee must be "a clapped-out Ford Focus" in comparison.

"I get the point he was making because 'people are expecting a Ferrari and you've given me a Honda Civic', but I don't think it will have gone down well in the boardroom," he added.

"I think it will add to their perception that every time he opens his mouth he is turning fans against them.

"And, rightly or wrongly, it only adds to the feeling that the Brendan Rodgers era at Celtic is coming to an end. The question is when."

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Sturm Graz head coach Jurgen Saumel thinks his side must brace themselves for a Celtic backlash in the Europa League on Thursday but has "full confidence" in their ability to handle the occasion.

He expects the hosts to be smarting from Sunday's surprise 2-0 defeat by Dundee at Dens Park that leaves Celtic five points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts.

"We expect a Celtic team that will give everything, that wants to show a reaction after they lost the last game," Saumel said.

"But I'm focused on my team, on my players. We want to follow our principles and we can."

Sturm beat Rangers 2-1 in Austria on 2 October, having lost 2-0 to Midtjylland in their opening fixture, and go into the game top of the Austrian top flight with four straight wins in all competitions.

"If we can make another step with a great performance, we can get something out of this game," Saumel added.

"We know that they have a great team with great individuals. But the important thing is how we will show up and have courage and there will be phases, periods where Celtic will push and we will have to defend deep and be dangerous ourselves.

"We have speed and we can always score goals. We are playing against a great opponent, but I have full confidence in my team."

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Liam Scales has urges Celtic to re-embrace "the basics" as they seek to arrest their slump in form.

Brendan Rodgers' side return to the Europa League arena on Thursday, hosting Austrian side Sturm Graz.

Celtic have one point from their opening two matches after losing at home to Braga last time out, and were also defeated by Scottish Premiership opponents Dundee on Sunday to fall five points behind leaders Hearts.

"Everyone just needs to buy into the system that we want to play and get back to basics in that sense of running more than the opposition, being more clinical, faster and more decisive," said defender Scales.

"At both ends of the pitch as well, not just going forward but defending as well. We've conceded a few goals in the last couple of games that we're not happy with, so it's both ends of the pitch, just being more decisive and really doing the basics as well and I think outworking the opposition is massive for us.

"Maybe that's dropped a little and it's hard to put a finger on why, but we just know that that's what we need to do to improve."

Celtic had opened their league phase campaign with an away draw against Red Star Belgrade.

And Scales added: "We want to get our first win in the competition obviously, and we have a good chance to do that.

"We just need to really show up and play well."

Sturm Graz defender Emir Karic has revealed that he will fulfil a lifelong dream on Thursday by playing at Celtic Park and reckons the stadium has one of the best atmospheres in Europe. (The National), external

Former Celtic left-back Greg Taylor has joked that his old Parkhead teammate, striker Georgios Giakoumakis, is tired of his company already after they were reunited at PAOK in the Greek Superleague this summer. (Premier Sports via Glasgow Times), external

Celtic and Rangers will each earn £391,000 if they win their Europa League games on Thursday. (The National), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hopes a first Europa League win of this campaign will provide the spark to kick-start their season.

After dropping out of Champions League qualification, Celtic have just one point from their opening two league stage fixtures before hosting Sturm Graz.

Rodgers conceded the club is in a "tough moment" sitting five points adrift of Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts, who they face this weekend at Tynecastle, following defeat by Dundee, with fan anger consistently being directed at the club's board following a disappointing summer recruitment window.

"It's a must-win game tomorrow, in whichever way you want to look at it," Rodgers explained, referring to challenges on and off the pitch.

"For us to compete in the Europa League, we want to get up and running.

"We had two home games in the spin in this competition and we wanted to take the points in those. We haven't done that.

"We now come up against a really good team, another big challenge for us and we're going to be ready for that.

"We want to get a performance level that can inspire that confidence. And, in every which way, to give a better feeling to supporters off the pitch."

"We've now studied Sturm Graz and they're a really good side and score lots of goals. Very direct, good speed and changed the system slightly in terms of being in Europe to 4-2-3-1 in the opening games of this competition.

"We're at home, we want to get a first win in the competition and hope that it can provide the lift off for our season."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media before the Europa League home tie against Sturm Graz on Thursday.

Here are the key points:

• Rodgers has "no regret" about his comments following the defeat to Dundee last weekend when he said: "There's no way you'll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, I want you to drive it like a Ferrari."

• He adds: "I said it because I felt it. I've got no regret, no. It was based around the speed in our team. Clearly it's not the same as what we had last season and I'm pretty sure both those cars go at different speeds so that was the reference to that."

• Rodgers is "not really worried" about the reaction and says: "You can't please everyone and I'm not going to start trying to do that now. The players know that I'm with them. I've always been with them."

• On whether the poor recruitment narrative that has dogged the club since the summer has had a bigger impact than he imagined, Rodgers says: "I can't afford to look back. We knew what we had to do. We weren't able to do it and now we live with that consequence but we have to find a way to win games. I'm relentlessly looking at solutions. In terms of personnel, team shape, so that's something you're having to think about much more."

• Asked if he felt "scunnered" at everything going on at the club, Rodgers says: "I've never been more motivated in my time at Celtic to turn it around. I'm so determined to try and turn the feeling around on and off the pitch. It's not what Celtic is about or what Celtic should be about."

• He is "very privileged" to be Celtic manager and adds: "I love this club. It's not meant to be easy. It's not all about winning trebles. In this tough moment, and it is tough, I need to stand up and lead and see where we can improve."

• Japan forward Daizen Maeda will miss the match having sat out the defeat to Dundee after suffering stiffness in his lower back and hamstring.

• Full-back Alistair Johnston is expected to be available for his first appearance in two months.

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• Sturm Graz are on a run of four straight wins, the latest two away from home, but lost both their games on the road in European competition this season.

• Celtic have won just two out of 12 games against Austrian sides (losing seven) and have lost their past three.

• Sturm Graz have won three of their five previous major European matches against Scottish teams, including a 2-1 win over Rangers last time out.

• Barcelona in the 2007-08 Champions League are the only side to beat both Celtic and Rangers in a single European campaign.

• This will be Brendan Rodgers' 63rd match in Europe managing Celtic, moving him outright second ahead of Neil Lennon and behind only Jock Stein (68).

• Sturm Graz rank bottom for passes per sequence (2.4), open play sequences with 10+ passes (three), average sequence time (5.9 seconds) and successful passes (491) in the Europa League this season.

• Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti has made the most opposition half take-ons (15) in the Europa League this season, while he has also made the most take-ons in the opposition box (five).

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Kilmarnock have signed Celtic goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi on an emergency seven-day loan.

Oluwayemi, 22, spent last season on loan at Dunfermline, having previously had spells with Cork City and Admira Wacker in Austria.

He now joins Kilmarnock for an initial seven-day period.

Max Stryjek missed Sunday's defeat by Hearts with an unspecified issue.

Manager Stuart Kettlewell said before that match: "I can tell you to a degree - due to routine annual screening of the players, which we do, it's flagged up something that requires further investigation."

Tino
Fan writer

"Celtic are there to be shot at."

Not my words, but those of Derek McInnes as his high-flying Hearts side prepare to face the once-invincible Celtic this weekend.

And he's absolutely right.

In Europe, Celtic can hardly claim invincibility these days following a string of woeful results on the continent.

Domestically, though, it's been a different story. Thirteen titles from the past 14 seasons tell their own tale. For years, no one has come close to toppling Celtic's dominance of Scottish football.

But to say that a chink has appeared in the armour would be an understatement. Last weekend's loss to then second-bottom Dundee - a result that ended a 37-year unbeaten run at Dens Park - was more than just a blip.

And perhaps the most worrying part? It didn't come as much of a surprise.

Should we have seen it coming? After losing just twice in all competitions throughout 2024 (to Hearts and Borussia Dortmund), Brendan Rodgers' side have now suffered nine defeats in 2025 - and it's not even Halloween.

Losing to Aston Villa or Bayern Munich is one thing. But defeats to a relegated St Johnstone, an underperforming Rangers (twice!), and now a Dundee side with just one league win before the weekend?

Those are the kind of results that simply shouldn't happen with such frequency to a team with Celtic's ambitions.

And let's not forget the embarrassment of Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty - two stalemates followed by defeat on penalties.

Any team can lose a game. But when defeats start forming a pattern, it becomes a problem. And one that can't be ignored.

Only Rodgers and his players can now put it right - and they'll have to do so quickly, with two massive fixtures on the horizon.

Lose to Sturm Graz on Thursday, and our Europa League campaign is dead in the water before it even begins.

Fail to beat Hearts on Sunday, and our stranglehold on Scottish football - even at this early stage in the campaign - will suddenly look very fragile.

And so too might the manager's future at Celtic Park.

McInnes is right. Celtic are there to be shot at. The question is, do Rodgers and his players still have the firepower to shoot back?

The days ahead will give us the answer.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

Celtic are still eager to tie down manager Brendan Rodgers, whose current deal ends next summer, to a new contract despite his team's current poor form amid growing fan discontent. (Football Insider), external

The Celtic Fans Collective has vowed to continue to take "further action" to display its displeasure towards their board. (The National), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Readers of this column won't be surprised by the current state of things at Celtic. I've been writing about it since the closing stages of last season.

Don't be sidelined either by what car manager Brendan Rodgers thinks he's being asked to drive. Whether it's a Honda Civic or a Ferrari, it's largely the same vehicle he very nearly steered to a famous win in the Allianz Arena in February.

A look at the teamsheet in Munich that February midweek is proof of that. Only one permanent Celtic player has left since then, Nicolas Kuhn.

Jeffrey Schlupp has also departed but he was just a loan player and was replaced by a significant upgrade, it seemed fair to conclude, in the return of Kieran Tierney. Everyone else who started in Bavaria is still at the club.

So the Honda Civic narrative needs challenging. Nine of the starting 11 continue to pick up a Celtic pay cheque. Yes, there are injuries to Jota, Alastair Johnston and Auston Trusty. The question remains, however: why are so many of Celtic's go-to players underperforming so badly?

We now know Daizen Maeda has wanted out of the club for most of this year. It appears several others don't really have the heart for it any more either. To what extent does Rodgers himself have to bear some responsibility in all this?

He's no longer able to get the same tune out of his top players. Why? Goals and speed, as the Rodgers mantra goes, have been taken out of the team with the departures of Kuhn and Adam Idah.

However, Maeda couldn't stop scoring last term; Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate netted 21 between them; and in Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, the club have splurged the best part of £10m on two new wingers. So why are things so slow and predictable? And why have all those goal dried up so dramatically?

It appears Celtic are in danger of being dragged under by a perfect storm. Players past their sell-by date; a manager with less than a year left on his contract and no offer of a new deal; a board reluctant to splash the cash because they're not sure who's going to be taking the team in June; the money that was spent in another poor recruitment window failing to deliver what the side really needs.

There is an axis of unhappiness running through the spine of the club, uniting the board, manager, team and support in disappointment.

A relative fortune was spent last year on Arne Engels, Trusty and Idah. Plenty of players were signed this summer too. It's just that you'd struggle to see many of them in a matchday squad, never mind the side. The likes of Callum Osmand, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada.

You could argue Kelechi Iheanacho, Tounekti and Benjamin Nygren have done okay. All three started the dismal defeat at Dundee. Only the Nigeria striker finished the match. Three goals in seven games will just about get him pass marks.

As for the side as a whole, they're failing badly. The manager knows it but doesn't seem able to do anything about it. Never mind driving the Honda like a sports car - he first needs to get it out of cruise control, and quickly.

"Disharmony" is impacting Celtic's performances, says captain Callum McGregor. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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Captain Callum McGregor believes Celtic need to start "showing why they're champions" after his side lost at Dens Park for the first time in 37 years.

The 2-0 loss was their first in the Premiership this season and means they now trail league leaders Hearts by five points.

With just one win in their last five outings in all competitions, Brendan Rodgers' side play Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday, following Thursday's Europa League match against Sturm Graz.

McGregor hopes Celtic can bounce back in two crucial fixtures.

"We need a result in both. We need to win both games. So that's what it's about being at Celtic," the 32-year-old said.

"You have to respond to poor days and show why you're a champion and show why you should be here. So that is now the challenge to the players and ultimately, we have to do our talking on the pitch.

"It's all right, me coming out and talking, or anyone else coming out and talking, but we have to start showing why we're a good team.

"Hearts are winning games, but the good news is, we get to play them next week, so it's a challenge for us to go there,

"They'll be full of confidence but we've so much work to be done and so much that we have to look at ourselves internally first before we can even look at anyone else."

Midfielder McGregor insists hard work is the only way for Celtic to get back to their top levels.

"A really poor result can't happen at a club like Celtic," he added.

"It doesn't happen too often, to be honest, but when you have a performance and a result like that, it emphasises everything that's happened between now and the start of the season.

"There's only one way out of it and it's hard work, it's digging in and fighting together which I know that we will do."