Celtic

Tino
Fan writer

For the second league game in recent weeks Celtic pulled it out of the bag with football's most satisfying sight - a stoppage-time winner.

But just as Kelechi Iheanacho's 96th-minute strike sank Kilmarnock, Daizen Maeda's 92nd-minute clincher against Motherwell was again overshadowed by the ongoing tension between the club and supporters.

Don't get me wrong, we savoured the moment for what it was. A late winner is pure joy for any football fan, any time.

Yet once the celebrations faded, attention quickly turned to Monday's much-anticipated meeting between supporters' groups and the Celtic board.

Full details of that meeting are still to emerge, but early signs suggest there's been no sudden silver bullet solution agreed. And nor, in truth, should anyone have expected that to be the case.

After all, knocking on someone's door to tell them how poorly you think they're doing their job rarely ends with everyone clinking glasses and declaring a new era of unity.

Real progress takes time. The first step is proving that meetings like this can happen at all. That genuine dialogue and constructive engagement are possible.

Only then can the door open to deeper discussions and, hopefully, to meaningful resolutions further down the line.

Now, as both sides take stock of what was said, we wait to see what the next steps will be.

Whether that means further meetings, new proposals, or a return to protests by the Celtic fanbase, the coming days should make things clearer.

For the board, the challenge remains. To demonstrate that words about engagement and transparency will be matched by action.

Trust between a club and fans, once strained, isn't rebuilt overnight. But it can be rebuilt if both sides are genuinely willing.

So as we look ahead, the hope is Monday night's meeting wasn't a one-off gesture, but the start of something more constructive.

What comes next may well define not just the tone of future discussions, but the broader relationship between Celtic and their fans in the months and years to come.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

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Manager Brendan Rodgers hopes to continue trying to achieve unity at Celtic with strong performances following a late victory against Motherwell amid off-field difficulties.

Rodgers says he was delighted to be able to share a big moment with supporters as Daizen Maeda completed a comeback against Jens Berthel Askou's side in stoppage time on Sunday to seal a 3-2 win with a diving header.

But there remained clear signs of frustration with the club's board despite a planned meeting between directors and fans due to take place on Monday.

"I'm trying to see if we can pull it together on the pitch, which can help unify everything," Rodgers said after Sunday's match.

"Because it's what Celtic is about. Celtic is that feeling. And clearly the feeling isn't quite right across the club.

"However, on the pitch you have to win and you have to continue to win. And that's why I'm so proud of the players.

"When we went 2-1 down, a couple of misplaced passes, you need to hold your nerve and deal with pressure.

"And the players found that calmness and found that ability to create the opportunities. Then eventually one goes in for us.

"It's amazing for the supporters. Because even though we've only lost once this season so far, it's still been a challenging summer to this point.

"But that's for them and it's for them to enjoy that. Because we thoroughly deserved it."

Winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha delivered the cross that led to Maeda's winner after a slow start to his Celtic career and Rodgers believes the moment will help all of his new signings appreciate the potential at the club.

"I think that's all part of the experience here for those guys to understand," he added.

"The guys who have been around know the difficulties and the pressures that are there. It's that feeling that you get. That's what Celtic is.

"And to win a game against a team that's very well coached in how they play, that was a really good win for us, and it will give them a huge boost."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Celtic left it late to take all three points at home to Motherwell on Sunday, and they've got one player in my team of the week.

Brendan Rodgers was spot-on to say Celtic are nowhere near the level the fans expect right now. Celtic made hard work of life against a good Motherwell side.

After their underwhelming transfer window almost ironic that one of their best signings was a free agent when the window closed. Kelechi Iheanacho clearly has such a cool head when it comes to putting the ball in the net, allied with plenty of ability.

Three goals in six appearances and a real sense that the best is yet to come from the 29-year-old Nigeria international.

We asked for your views on Celtic's 3-2 victory after being pushed to the limit by Motherwell.

Here's what some of you said:

Jon: Another get out of jail card played. Callum McGregor does not look fit and Kasper Schmeichel should have done better for the first goal. There has to be a massive investment in January or Hearts will win the league.

Peter: We are very poor at the moment. Too many players are way off the pace. But it's another win and three points closer to another title, will take that every day.

David: This Celtic team are papering over cracks by winning games at the moment. We seem void of ideas on the pitch.

Patrick: A messy performance and still out of sorts but important that we showed character to grab the late win, which is all important. Morale should be higher after that, just a shame there's another break to stop any momentum from building.

Cal: Celtic created chances against a well-drilled Motherwell side, but they're still missing the killer instinct that gave us the edge last season.

John: Very patchy performance but the new players are showing real promise.

Greg: A sustained effort and mentality to keep going for the full 90 minutes. We're not functioning round the middle and the link up to the front is not synced but Motherwell set up well and moved it fast. Promising but the next three games are crucial to mount a challenge.

David: Good to see Daizen Maeda get the winning goal. Hope he is back to his usual scoring prowess.

Ray: Big win but more about the manner and positive reaction to it with international break now in place. Substitutions made a difference and true area of focus should be the midfield. Benjamin Nygren has been the only consistent performer. Roll on the green shoots of growth.

Paul: We were miles off our standard against Motherwell. We seem to lack fluidity and rhythm in the team. Hats off to Motherwell, they made it a difficult afternoon. Glad to get the three points, they will prove important as the season unfolds.

Watch the highlights as Daizen Maeda's dramatic late winner secured all three points for Celtic against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

(Available to UK users only)

Celtic and Rangers, along with a number of English clubs, are being linked with 23-year-old midfielder Pierre Ekwah, who has refused to play for Saint Etienne after their relegation to Ligue 2 amid efforts to terminate his contract and allow him to leave for free despite the French outfit activated his £5.2m release clause to sign him permanently from Sunderland following a loan spell last season. (Football Insider), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "Clearly it's a very important win for us. The players showed an unbelievable amount of heart.

"Playing against a Motherwell team who are unbeaten, you can see why and see how they scored three at Hearts and two here.

"But we showed a real strong mentality today and real competitive grit. Even though we're not at our levels we've shown in the past, you still have to win. The guys coming into the game brought an energy, mentality and fitness to the game.

"It was a really good game, credit to Motherwell. Few teams will come here and try to build the game.

"There's no doubt there's a feeling that isn't quite what I would say is the Celtic feeling. We're nowhere near our level, I can be clear on that. However, while your searching for it and looking to grow and settle players in, it's important you win."

On match-winner Daizen Maeda: "For him and his family it's huge. There's no doubt everything in the summer would have an effect on him. We kept him on because he has that ability in the box. So, so pleased for him.

"For four years he's given everything, his heart and soul to this club. Naturally there was disappointment for him [in the summer] and I totally respect that.

"He's still turned up and he's working hard every single game. That there is a special feeling for him."

Daizen Maeda's injury-time header earned Celtic a thrilling Scottish Premiership victory after being pushed to the limit by Motherwell.

Have your say on the game here.

Read the match report here.

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Canada head coach Jesse Marsch says Celtic full-back Alistair Johnston is set to make an "early return" from injury and hopes to include him in his squad for friendlies next month. (The Herald - subscription required), external

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Celtic captain Callum McGregor believes it is only natural that Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou is looking for a victory over his side.

The Fir Park boss has not been shy in expressing his desire to earn the Lanarkshire club a first win at Celtic Park since 2015.

Well sit fourth in the Premiership table, having not lost a match this season with their unbeaten run stretching back 14 games.

Meanwhile, Celtic lie six points ahead in second. Brendan Rodgers' side have failed to score in their past two matches - a goalless draw with Hibernian and a Europa League defeat to Braga.

"I think every manager and every team and every player, when they turn up to a game at the weekend, they want to win," the 32-year-old midfielder said.

"If he said anything different, then you'd probably question that. We're the same. We turn up, we want to win, we want to play good football. Let's see what kind of match we get on Sunday.

"They've started the season really well. I watched them in the first game of the season. Really committing, trying to play the right way. It's good to see that and they've had good success with it as well.

"For sure, they'll come here on Sunday and they'll try to play, which then gives us an opportunity to be aggressive on the pressure and try to implement our style into the game."

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• Celtic are unbeaten in 34 meetings with Motherwell in all competitions (W29 D5) since a 2-1 home league defeat in December 2015 under Ronny Deila.

• Motherwell have lost 14 of their past 16 away games against Celtic in all competitions (D2), conceding 50 goals while scoring just six in this period.

• Celtic have only lost one of their past 44 home league games that have come the weekend immediately after a European game (W38 D5), going down 2-0 to Hearts in December 2023.

• Motherwell remain unbeaten in six Scottish Premiership games this season (W1 D5), their longest unbeaten start to a league campaign since 2012-13 (first seven).

• Only Celtic's Benjamin Nygren (11) has created more chances from open play in the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership than Motherwell's Ibrahim Said (10).

We asked for your views on whether Kasper Schmeichel's place in the Celtic team should be under threat.

Here's what some of you said:

Matthew: Schmeichel should have been dropped well before the Scottish Cup final last season. My concern about the goal on Thursday wasn't simply that he used the wrong arm, it was the lack of athleticism in his jump that was truly worrying. His passing has also been poor throughout. When a goalkeeper can neither distribute effectively nor make crucial saves, the decision is clear. Viljami Sinisalo should be our first choice.

Bob: The manager's reputation is under threat from continued poor team performances. No manager can keep selecting players who don't perform on every matchday. Schmeichel needs some time on the bench.

Ray: It's time for Sinisalo to cement his place and presence. He needs a run of games and Schmeichel has done his bit, but has lost his edge with crucial basic errors.

Chris: Sinisalo looked agile and focused when deputising for Schmeichel last season. Schmeichel has been a top goalkeeper with a solid career. but it's time he was the back-up for the younger man. Brendan Rodgers should definitely drop Schmeichel in favour of Sinisalo.

Alec: Definitely time for Schmeichel to take a back seat. A great keeper in his day but can see mistakes happening more and more. Give Sinisalo his chance. We need to look to the future also.

Joe: Schmeichel has gone suddenly from a great signing to a disaster waiting to happen. It's time to drop him. The team is bad enough without a calamity between the sticks and he looks like he wants to leave now anyway.

Liam: Schmeichel isn't mobile as a keeper and he looks nervy at times and flat footed. It may be worth giving Sinisalo a run, but I doubt Rodgers will do that.

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Celtic are still missing Alistair Johnston (hamstring) and long-term absentee Jota (knee).

Stephen Welsh cannot face his parent club but Motherwell can bring captain Paul McGinn back into defence after injury.

Elijah Just, Tom Sparrow, Callum Hendry and Callum Slattery are back in training and manager Jens Berthel Askou hopes at least one of them can make the squad.

Sam Nicholson, Filip Stuparevic (both knee), Eseosa Sule, Jordan McGhee (both thigh) and Zach Robinson (Achilles) are long-term absentees.

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Everton are exploring an approach for Celtic forward Daizen Maeda to back up in-form Jack Grealish but the 27-year-old is unlikely to leave Glasgow in January. (Football Insider), external

Pundit Chris Sutton bemoans a "chronic lack of creativity" at Celtic, saying his old team are "boring" to watch this season. (Daily Record), external

Celtic are likely to escape any censure after fans unfurled a banner accusing Uefa of being 'complicit in genocide' and urging Europe's governing body to ban Israel from its tournaments. (Scottish Sun), external

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.