What Happened the Last Three Times Celtic Reached the Knockout Stages of a European Competition?
There can be no denying that Celtic are one of the most successful teams in the history of world football. With over 150 trophies to their name including a European Cup, the first British team to win one no less, the Bhoys certainly fly the green and white flag high. But in recent years, they have struggled to make progress in Europe.
This year, they were dumped out in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the second straight year. Defeats in four of their group games consigned them to fourth place in Group H meaning that European football won’t be featuring at Parkhead through the second half of the campaign. But on the rest of the continent, it certainly will.
The first leg of the continental knockout stages got underway in February and there were some shocking results, none more so than Celtic’s group stage conquerors Lazio. The Italian outfit was a heavy underdog for the visit of five-time European champions Bayern Munich however, they secured a shock 1-0 first-leg victory thanks to a late penalty from captain and talisman Ciro Immobile. Despite their slender lead, online sports betting sites price the Bavarians as +750 fourth favourites to go all the way and make a deep run in the tournament.
As the Scottish champions won’t be featuring in the knockout rounds of any of Europe’s three tournaments this term, we decided to take a look back at recent trips to the knockout rounds and how they ended.
2021/22 – Eliminated by Bodo/Glimt
The inaugural season of the UEFA Europa Conference League brought fresh opportunities for lesser-known clubs to make their mark. One team that took full advantage of the new tournament were the Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. They were one of the stars of the group stage as they thumped Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1. They still finished as runners-up to the Giallorossi however, setting up a date with Celtic who dropped into the completion after finishing third in their Europa League group.
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- Aspmyra Stadion – opposite end
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- The road to the stadium
The Hoops entered the knockout stages with an air of cautious optimism, knowing that the relative infancy of the Conference League allowed for a potential run at the trophy. Against Bodo/Glimt, the tension was palpable but it was clear from the off that the Eliteserien outfit wouldn’t be a pushover. Far from it. The visiting Norwegians ran out deserved 3-1 victors at Parkhead, before winning by a further two goals to nil in the reverse fixture to seal a resounding 5-1 aggregate victory.
2019/20 – Eliminated by FC Copenhagen
Throughout the 2019/20 Europa League campaign, Celtic were one of the stars of the show. Their 2-1 victory in the Stadio Olimpico against Lazio, secured by Oliver Ntcham’s 95th-minute winner, was one of the greatest nights in the club’s recent history. They progressed as group winners ahead of Romanian champions CFR Cluj and in theory, should have had a favourable tie in the Round of 32. Unfortunately, what they got was anything but.
The first leg at Parken Stadium was a tightly contested affair the Glasgow outfit looked as though they would win when Odsonne Edouard scored an early opener. However, Dame N’Doye netted an equaliser early in the second half to secure a share of the spoils for the Danes and leaving it all to play for in the second leg at Celtic Park.
The clash in Glasgow was fraught with drama, and as the minutes ticked away, it was evident that one decisive moment would sway the tie. Copenhagen broke the deadlock in the 51st minute through Michael Santos and it looked as though it would be them who would progress. But the hosts piled the pressure on and found a late equaliser through an 83rd-minute Edouard penalty.
Before the celebrations could die down though, the visitors netted an all-important second away goal just 90 seconds later, before adding a third three minutes after that, leaving Celtic’s European aspirations up in flames.
2018/19 – Eliminated by Valencia
Celtic’s return to the Europa League knockout stages in the 2018/19 season saw them face La Liga powerhouse Valencia. Los Che reached back-to-back Champions League finals at the turn of the millennium, losing both of them, firstly to compatriots Real Madrid and then to German giants Bayern Munich. Over the two decades since, their standing on the continent dwindled, but they were still favoured to progress past Celtic. Those predictions looked accurate when they secured a 2-0 victory away from home in the first leg through goals from Denis Cheryshev and Ruben Sobrino.
In the return leg at the daunting Mestalla, the Scottish Champions had their work cut out if they were to rescue the tie and they did their utmost for well over an hour. But in the 70th minute, the contest was put to bed when Kevin Gameiro gave the hosts a three-goal aggregate lead. Once more, the Bhoys had to bow out in their first knockout game, something that was particularly disappointing this time around after a group stage victory against RB Leipzig saw them progress at the Germans’ expense.
