Celtic's European Woes Continue: Are They Up to the Challenge?

Celtic's Europa League campaign has hit a new low, with three losses in as many matches. Following a disheartening defeat to Celta Vigo, they find themselves second from the bottom in the group, barely ahead of Ararat-Armenia due to goal difference. After a stunning 7-1 victory over Hearts on Sunday, fans hoped Martin O'Neill's side had found their stride. Instead, the stark contrast between their domestic success and European struggles was painfully evident once again. Celtic took the lead early in the second half thanks to Mika Baur, but they quickly retreated into their shells, ultimately succumbing to a 2-1 defeat as Javi Rodriguez struck twice in just three minutes. O'Neill lamented key refereeing decisions that went against his team, raising the question: are the Scottish champions simply not up to the task in Europe? That sentiment was echoed by former Scotland international James McFadden, who shared his thoughts on Sportsound. "The performances at this level haven’t been good enough," he remarked. "Celtic are way short." Celtic once seemed destined for the Champions League, racing to a 4-0 aggregate lead against LASK in the playoff round. But in a shocking turn, they conceded five goals in just 77 minutes, crashing down to the Europa League. Now, the team finds itself on a four-match losing streak in Europe, having let in a staggering 14 goals. The last time they experienced such a rough patch in a single season was back in the 2017-18 Champions League. McFadden noted, "It seems as though Celtic struggle when there’s a bit of adversity. If something goes against them, the confidence drops, their heads drop, they stop playing forward." After yet another disheartening night, O'Neill pointed to the pivotal moments that went against his side, including a missed foul call before Celta's equalizer and a crucial header from Liam Scales that narrowly missed the target. "We conceded a free-kick and I thought we should have had a foul just before that," O'Neill said. "They score from the free-kick, and it knocks us a little bit. If Scales’ header goes in to make it 2-0, we likely take the three points." Scales had a standout performance, leading his teammates with 121 touches, far surpassing left-back Kieran Tierney's 79 touches and goalkeeper Sam Johnstone's 69. Baur, who scored for Celta, acknowledged that his team didn’t play well enough to secure a win initially but felt they deserved the victory based on their second-half performance. When asked about the collapse, he simply said, "I cannot tell you, sorry." Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner weighed in, stating, "I don’t think Celtic are good enough, individually and collectively, to take on a team that’s eighth in La Liga. They moved the ball really well, and Celtic couldn’t get close to them." With their next European match set for November 5 against Besiktas, fans are left wondering if Celtic can finally turn their fortunes around or if their struggles will continue.