Celtic Player Ratings vs Celta Vigo in Europa League Glasgow 2026

Key Points

• Match Result: Celtic suffered a 2–1 defeat against Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo at Celtic Park, marking their third consecutive loss in the UEFA Europa League league phase.
• Goalscorers: Mika Baur put Celtic ahead in the 47th minute before defender Javi Rodríguez struck twice in three minutes (68′ and 71′) to complete a rapid second-half turnaround for the visitors.
• Match Timeline: Following a goalless first half, Mika Baur scored early in the second half. Liam Scales subsequently hit the crossbar with a powerful header before Celta Vigo turned the match around.
• Top Performance Ratings: Statistical analysis platforms and media outlets identified Javi Rodríguez (8.5), Marcos Alonso (9.5), and Hugo Álvarez (7.7) as the top performers for Celta Vigo, alongside Mika Baur (7.8) and Liam Scales for Celtic.
• Refereeing Decisions: Celtic appeals for a penalty were turned down in the first half when Callum Osmand went down following contact with Javi Rueda near the penalty area.
• Tournament Situation: The result leaves Celtic without a point after three matches in the Europa League main stage following earlier defeats to Ferencváros and Benfica.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) October 23, 2026 – Celtic’s European campaign suffered a severe setback as La Liga side Celta Vigo came from behind to secure a 2–1 victory at Celtic Park in the UEFA Europa League league phase. Despite taking the lead early in the second half through midfieler Mika Baur, the Scottish champions conceded two quick-fire goals to Spanish defender Javi Rodríguez within three minutes, leaving the hosts without a point after three matches in the competition.

What occurred during Celtic’s European clash against Celta Vigo?

As reported by Alison Conroy of Sky Sports, Celtic entered the fixture attempting to claim their first points of the European campaign following previous defeats to Ferencváros and Benfica. The Scottish champions came into the match following a 7–1 domestic victory against Hearts at the weekend, with manager Martin O’Neill making one change to his starting line-up by selecting Sam Johnstone in goal in place of Viljami Sinisalo.

The opening half yielded limited clear opportunities for either side. As reported by Alison Conroy of Sky Sports, Celta Vigo full-back Javi Rueda had a cross blocked early by Colby Donovan in the 12th minute, while Celtic midfielder Mika Baur made a defensive block to deny Iago Aspas three minutes later.

Celtic created penalty appeals midway through the first period. As detailed by Alison Conroy of Sky Sports, Callum Osmand fell under a challenge from Celta Vigo defender Javi Rueda near the penalty area. The match referee declined to award a foul or penalty, which prompted protests from Celtic forward Camilo Durán, resulting in a yellow card in the 23rd minute.

Before the half-time whistle, Celta Vigo created another opening as Ferran Jutglà tested Sam Johnstone, but the Scottish side kept the match goalless entering the interval.

How did Celta Vigo turn the match around in the second half?

As reported by Alison Conroy of Sky Sports, Celtic opened the scoring two minutes after the restart. In the 47th minute, a deflected cross from Haissem Hassan broke inside the penalty area to Mika Baur, who swept his shot past Celta Vigo goalkeeper Ionuț Radu into the bottom corner.

Celtic nearly doubled their advantage short of the hour mark. As noted by Alison Conroy of Sky Sports, Liam Scales met a Hassan delivery with a header that deflected off the crossbar.

Celta Vigo responded with two goals in quick succession. As reported by Alison Conroy of Sky Sports, Javi Rodríguez equalised in the 68th minute, heading past Sam Johnstone from a free-kick delivery. Three minutes later, in the 71st minute, Javi Rodríguez scored his second goal of the evening by striking a 20-yard effort into the bottom corner following Celtic’s failure to clear a cross, completing the 2–1 victory for the visiting Spanish side.

How did statistical experts and media rate the individual player performances?

As reported by media analysis from statistical provider Sofascore, Celta Vigo recorded an average team rating of 6.99 compared to Celtic’s 6.79. Two-goal defender Javi Rodríguez received a match-high rating of 8.5 for his defensive contribution and two goals, while former Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso recorded a 9.5 rating based on completing 111 passes with a 95 per cent accuracy rate. Midfieler Hugo Álvarez was awarded a 7.7 rating after providing three key passes and an assist.

As reported by Matthew Fulton of The Herald, Celtic player ratings highlighted mixed performances across the squad:

• Sam Johnstone (5): Replaced Viljami Sinisalo in goal. Got a hand to Rodríguez’s header for the equaliser but could not keep it out, and was given little chance with the second strike.
• Colby Donovan (5): Energetic start on the right flank, but struggled defensively in the second half as Celta Vigo targeted his side.
• Dane Murray (5): Executed key blocks under second-half pressure, though occasionally dropped deep.
• Liam Scales (6): Assured in central defence for long spells and almost scored with a second-half header that rattled the crossbar.
• Kieran Tierney (5): Had a solid first half, but was forced into a heavy defensive workload after the break.
• Callum McGregor (5): Controlled play during the opening 45 minutes, but saw his influence diminish as Celta Vigo took command of the midfield.
• Mika Baur (7): Took his goal with conviction to put Celtic ahead and offered strong ball-carrying until fading later in the match.
• Benjamin Nygren (5): Produced isolated moments of quality, including a second-half volley saved by Radu, but lacked consistency.
• Haissem Hassan (6): Provided the delivery that led to Baur’s opening goal and consistently delivered crosses into the box.
• Callum Osmand (7): Caused problems for the Celta Vigo defence down the left flank with direct dribbling before being substituted in the 58th minute.
• Camilo Durán (6): Worked hard upfront and won multiple aerial duels, but occasionally found himself isolated before shifting out wide later in the game.

Substitutes James Forrest received a rating of 4, while Kasper Høgh, Oliver Sørensen, and Sebastian Tounekti were all rated 2 following late appearances off the bench.

Background of the particular development

Celtic entered the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League main stage aiming to translate their domestic form into European results. Under the updated single-league European format, teams play eight fixtures against eight different opponents to determine progression to the knockout phase.

Celtic began their campaign with consecutive defeats against Hungarian side Ferencváros and Portuguese club Benfica. The fixture against Celta Vigo represented an opportunity to secure their first points of the European campaign, especially following a 7–1 victory over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Celta Vigo, managed by Claudio Giráldez, travelled to Glasgow seeking to consolidate their position in the European standings using a 3-4-3 tactical setup.

Prediction on how this development will affect Celtic FC and its supporters

This defeat significantly complicated Celtic’s prospects of qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League. With zero points from their opening three fixtures, Celtic face mounting pressure to secure positive results in their remaining five league-phase matches to finish within the top 24 qualification positions.

For the supporters and coaching staff, the result highlights ongoing challenges in managing matches against continental opposition after taking the lead. The loss of momentum following Liam Scales’ attempt off the crossbar, combined with defensively conceding two goals in a three-minute span, suggests tactical adjustments will be required for upcoming European ties. Domestically, manager Martin O’Neill will need to manage squad rotation and morale as Celtic balance their Scottish Premiership title defense with their remaining European calendar.