Summary

  • Lukas Julis fires home from close range with the home defence all at sea before he guides home a second

  • Substitute Leigh Griffiths turns in rebound but Julis completes hat-trick just minutes later. Ladislav Krejci nets fourth

  • Celtic now bottom of Europa League group with one point

  • FT: Benfica 3-3 Rangers

Live Reporting

Thomas McGuigan

  1. Europa League recap

    Where to begin? Rangers looked likely to claim a famous victory in Lisbon against 10-man Benfica.

    But two late goals saw the Portuguese fight back to claim a point.

    Fast forward to Celtic Park and a defensive calamity for Neil Lennon's side as they were thrashed 4-1 by Sparta Prague - their third consecutive home defeat on the bounce.

    Thanks for your company, cheers.

    Rangers goalscorer Glen Kamara celebratesSNS

    Glen Kamara was on target in Rangers' draw in Lisbon

    Celtic were left reeling after being thrashed by Sparta PragueSNS

    Celtic were thrashed at home by Sparta Prague

  2. 'Pressure should be on the players' - Brown

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Celtic captain Scott Brown: "We [need to] work harder, fight more, defend as a team. Today's performance is nowhere near the standard we set at this club.

    "The pressure should be on the players not the manager."

    Celtic captain Scott BrownSNS

    Scott Brown said the display was nowhere near the standard expected

  3. 'Nothing surprises you in football'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    "We go from top in the group last year against teams of a similar standing and now we're one point in nine," Celtic manager Neil Lennon added.

    "I don't know where that's gone, so we need to take a look at that.

    "We picked the same team because of the performance in Lille. Nothing surprises you in football but that first half performance was very poor. The defending for the third goal was very poor.

    Celtic manager Neil LennonSNS

    Neil Lennon said Celtic's display was "very poor"

    "This isn't the biggest challenge I've faced in my time at the club. It feels like it is because it's present. But it won't happen again, that's for sure."

  4. 'The [Europa League] group is probably gone'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Celtic manager Neil Lennon adds: "There needs to be a culture change within the club. I need to look at the culture, get them more hungry, get them back to basics. All those things Sparta did. We have to be far more aggressive in our play. As the manage I have to accept responsibility but the players have to look at themselves too."

    "It's an accumulation of things catching up. We need to show a bit more humility and get back on the training ground. It's a bitterly disappointing performance."

    "We don't do the basics well enough. The first goal it should never get past the first post. It's lackadaisical and we have to do better.

    "The group is probably gone. We need to get some respect back with our next performance. I've been here a long time and that's a very poor performance from a Celtic team."

  5. 'We need a culture change' - Lennon

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Speaking in his post match press conference Celtic manager Neil Lennon says: "It was poor. We started the game ok and then got really ragged with the ball. Our passing, technique. I keep saying if we don't defend set pieces properly we'll get punished. There was a lack of hunger tonight and I don't know where it's come from because we've put in a really good performance on Sunday. I've defended the players up until now but that was unacceptable tonight."

    Celtic manager Neil LennonSNS

  6. 'Celtic will struggle to make up ground'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Michael Stewart
    Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

    Domestically, the concern for Celtic is that those [Premiership] games in hand won't be played until next year. So the likelihood is that Celtic could be even further behind Rangers come Christmas. Psychologically, that could prove pivotal.

  7. 'Celtic can't pick and choose when to show up'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    James McFadden
    Former Scotland forward on BBC Radio Scotland

    Celtic gave Sparta all the encouragement they needed. They can't pick and choose when they show up. It's time to roll their sleeves up and make themselves harder to beat.

  8. 'Lennon deserves time'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

    I think Celtic fans calling for Neil Lennon's head are far too premature. He's in a crisis right now but he deserves the time to try to fix it.

    Celtic manager Neil LennonSNS

    "Neil Lennon deserves time to try to fix it"

  9. 'All focus must go to the league'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Pat Bonner
    Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

    Rangers can take a real grip on the league over the next few weeks. This will be a real blow for Celtic. They need to get a run going somehow, they're out of Europe now, they have to put all their focus on the league.

  10. 'Celtic haven't turned up for a while'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

    The real concern is that Celtic haven't turned in a dominant performance in quite some time now. When was the last time Celtic were dominant for 90 minutes?

    Celtic defender Diego LaxaltSNS

  11. 'Celtic need to learn how to defend'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Michael Stewart
    Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

    Celtic's problems won't be solved until they learn how to defend properly. Otherwise they'll never give themselves a chance to win a game. Some of the defending tonight was hopeless.

  12. Tonight's Europa League results

    Europa League resultsBBC Sport
    Europa League resultsBBC Sport

  13. 'Team performance concerning'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    James McFadden
    Former Scotland forward on BBC Radio Scotland

    Questions are going to be asked about the defending. But it's the whole team performance that's worrying. Other than a ten minute spell in the second half the forward players offered nothing all night.

  14. 'Celtic are a calamity'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

    Celtic are a calamity at the back. A calamity in midfield. Right from the start it didn't look like they were tuned into the game. It was public park defending. Shocking.

    Celtic defenders look on in disbeliefSNS

    "It was public park defending..."

  15. 'Celtic back to square one'

    FT: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Michael Stewart
    Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound

    Sparta Prague aren't even able to play domestically, they're not even sure if they can train! This is a really concerning result and performance. After a positive week Celtic are back to square one.

    Sparta Prague players celebrate as Celtic's Ryan Christie looks onSNS

    Sparta Prague players celebrate as Celtic's Ryan Christie looks on

  16. FULL-TIME Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Celtic players look at one another in disbelief as Sparta Prague celebrate a famous victory.

    That's three consecutive home defeats for Neil Lennon's side, who fell apart defensively against a Czech outfit that scored four and could have had a few more.

    Lukas Julis fired a hat-trick on a European night where Celtic unravelled.

    Celtic defender Shane DuffySNS

  17. 'Celtic hammered'

    Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Pat Bonner
    Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

    It's turned into an absolute hammering at home. It's been a nightmare night for Celtic and there's no hiding from this. This is an embarrasing scoreline.

  18. goal

    GOAL Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague

    Ladislav Krejci

    Celtic's defence crumbles for a fourth and final time as Ladislav Krejci has the freedom of Glasgow to head home past the helpless Scott Bain.

    Sparta Prague goalBBC Sport

  19. 'Duffy exposed'

    Celtic 1-3 Sparta Prague

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  20. Rogic spurns attack

    Celtic 1-3 Sparta Prague

    Tom Rogic tries to thread a ball through the Sparta Prague defence to substitute Leigh Griffiths, but there's too much on the pass and it trundles through and into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Nita.