A 3-2 pre-season defeat against Portuguese side Estrela da Amadora is hardly a cause for concern for Brendan Rodgers but or some of his young hopefuls it was clearly an opportunity missed to impress the manager and stake a claim for first team involvement this coming season.
It’s fair to say that perhaps only Marco Tilio had a positive stand-out moment of the various contenders given their chance and the rest will have to do more – much more – to have any hope making a significant contribution this season.
It was probably no more than the manager expected as he introduced some of his first team stars for the first time this season.
“It was a really good exercise for us,” Brendan Rodgers said in his post match interview on Celtic TV. “ We’re only a couple of weeks in and there were some good moments, some not so good, young players getting opportunities, some players playing their first minutes of pre-season.
“We’ll get sharper. The guys have had a heavy week, so they were maybe a wee bit leggy today. But it’s that point in the season where you have to push and get through that, that’s all about building your fitness.
“The guys will always look to play our game model, to press and to play, and we did that. We had some really good moments, the goals were excellent. And then we got caught out, especially in the third goal, just pressing at the wrong moment.
“But all that comes with the evolution and understanding of how we play.”
GOAL ESTRELA
ESTRELA 3-2 CELTIC pic.twitter.com/peBzpz3ALy
— The Parkhead Faithful (@TheParkheadF) July 12, 2025
The three goals conceded were so bad that there was actually a comical aspect to each one, the mad penalty conceded, the free header from a corner and the three versus one on poor old Liam Scales who certainly tried his best. Nothing to worry about in the grand scheme of things but no gold stars being handed out to the fringe players involved.
Here’s Brendan’s post match thoughts via Celtic TV…
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Well, that’s three games I’ve watched and I’ll ask, again….what is the point of our Academy? Very good, young lads, I’m sure, but not one sticking out. And as for the same playing style as Rodgers first team, more sideways than forward, it’s awful to watch. And what’s with right footed left wingers and left footed right wingers, all they can do is turn inside and cramp up any space. My God, who would be an old school Celtic striker, in a team which never crosses balls!!! 🤬🤬🤬