Celtic’s seven worst European defeats since 2000

From Dortmund to Linz, the nights Celtic would rather forget

The humiliation against LASK immediately took its place among the darkest nights in Celtic’s history. The Glasgow side travelled to Austria with a commanding advantage but suffered a 5-1 defeat and missed out on a place in the Champions League league phase.

The result in Linz added another chapter to a surprisingly long list of European disasters endured by the Scottish club in the 21st century. Although Celtic can look back on a remarkable continental history, the contrast between their former glory and some of their more recent performances could hardly be greater.

European champions in 1967 and European Cup finalists again three years later, Celtic also reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final, where they lost to José Mourinho’s Porto. Since 2000, however, the Scottish giants have suffered several inexplicable eliminations, some against opponents with considerably fewer resources and much less European pedigree.

7th place – Borussia Dortmund 7-1 Celtic in 2024

Celtic have suffered several heavy defeats against Europe’s leading clubs, but the night in Dortmund stands apart. The Scottish side conceded seven goals against a team that had been eliminated from the Europa League by rivals Rangers only a few seasons earlier.

The match began at a frantic pace. Emre Can opened the scoring from the penalty spot, but Daizen Maeda responded immediately to bring Celtic level. The Japanese forward’s goal did little to alter the direction of the contest.

Karim Adeyemi exploited every gap in the Scottish defence and completed a hat-trick. Serhou Guirassy converted another penalty, leaving Borussia Dortmund with a commanding 5-1 lead by half-time.

Guirassy struck again after the interval before Felix Nmecha completed the scoring. Celtic later progressed to the knockout phase and came close to causing an upset against Bayern Munich, but that run could not erase the memory of their disastrous night in Dortmund.

6th place – Celtic 0-1 Maribor in 2014

The elimination at the hands of the Slovenian champions was particularly difficult to accept because Celtic had been handed an unexpected second chance in Champions League qualifying.

Legia Warsaw had won both matches against the Scottish side in the previous round. However, the Polish club fielded a suspended player following an administrative error and were subsequently removed from the competition by UEFA. Celtic therefore advanced despite having lost the tie on the pitch.

After earning a 1-1 draw in Slovenia, Ronny Deila’s team went into the return leg at Celtic Park as favourites to qualify. The advantage of playing at home and their favourable position following the opening match ultimately counted for nothing.

Celtic struggled to create opportunities and rarely troubled goalkeeper Jasmin Handanović. Maribor captain Marcos Tavares scored with 15 minutes remaining to send the Slovenian club through. The Scottish side had squandered the unexpected opportunity created by Legia Warsaw’s administrative disqualification.

5th place – Utrecht 4-0 Celtic in 2010

Celtic travelled to the Netherlands with a two-goal advantage from the first leg of their Europa League play-off. Neil Lennon’s team had also made a promising start to their domestic campaign, and qualification for the group stage appeared to be within reach.

Their plans unravelled during the opening 20 minutes of the return leg. Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored twice to completely wipe out the advantage Celtic had established in Glasgow.

The Dutch striker completed his hat-trick in the second half, while Barry Maguire added Utrecht’s fourth goal. The home side emphatically turned the tie around, eliminating Celtic before the group stage and denying them the significant financial rewards that would have accompanied qualification.

Lennon attributed the defeat to his players’ attitude and the psychological fragility they had shown in European matches.

“I have seen it too many times in Europe,” Lennon said afterwards. “It is a mentality thing, I think, more than anything else.”

4th place – Artmedia Bratislava 5-0 Celtic in 2005

Gordon Strachan’s tenure as Celtic manager began with one of the most difficult European nights in the club’s history. The Scottish side suffered a 5-0 defeat in Bratislava, with their defence unable to contain the hosts’ attacking threat.

Juraj Halenár was the outstanding performer and scored a hat-trick. Blažej Vaščák and Martin Mikulič also found the net, turning Strachan’s first European match in charge of Celtic into a nightmare debut.

The Glasgow club produced a powerful response in the return leg and secured a 4-0 victory. Their comeback remained incomplete, however, as Artmedia narrowly protected the advantage they had established in Slovakia.

The elimination came at a time when the Conference League did not exist and there was no opportunity for Celtic to continue their campaign in a lower-tier European competition. Their continental season was therefore over almost as soon as it had begun.

3rd place – Lincoln Red Imps 1-0 Celtic in 2016

Brendan Rodgers had only just taken charge of Celtic when his new team produced one of the most embarrassing upsets in Champions League qualifying history.

Lincoln Red Imps, the champions of Gibraltar, won the first leg 1-0. The enormous gulf in stature and resources between the two clubs turned the result into a major story across the British and international media.

Celtic avoided elimination by winning the return leg 3-0 in Glasgow. The Scottish side later reached the Champions League group stage, where they produced several creditable performances against significantly stronger opposition.

Rodgers’ team also completed the domestic season unbeaten. The Northern Irish manager built a side that dominated Scottish football, but he was unable to reproduce that same authority in European competition.

2nd place – Kairat 0-0 Celtic in 2025

Celtic missed out on the Champions League league phase after failing to score across 210 minutes of their two-legged tie. The return match away to Kairat Almaty remained goalless after extra time, meaning qualification had to be decided by a penalty shootout.

Substitute Adam Idah missed Celtic’s first spot-kick. Kairat’s goalkeeper then saved attempts from Luke McCowan and Daizen Maeda.

The Kazakh side won the shootout 3-2 and qualified for the Champions League league phase for the first time in their history. For Celtic, the elimination represented a major sporting and financial failure.

The club had already been criticised for its lack of investment during the transfer window, while the relationship between Brendan Rodgers and the board was becoming increasingly strained. Two months after the defeat to Kairat, the manager resigned following a dispute that could no longer be concealed from the public.

1st place – LASK 5-1 Celtic in 2026

Celtic suffered one of the most remarkable collapses in Champions League qualifying history on a disastrous night in Linz. The Scottish side had won the first leg by three goals and appeared to hold a more than sufficient advantage to secure qualification.

Their position became even stronger after Callum McGregor scored during the first half of the return leg. At that stage, Celtic led by four goals on aggregate and seemed almost certain to reach the league phase.

Supporters could already have been forgiven for thinking about potential trips to Paris, Munich or Madrid. LASK refused to surrender and responded with bold, intense and relentlessly attacking football.

The Austrian side gradually reduced the deficit, taking advantage of Celtic’s passivity and defensive uncertainty. A stoppage-time goal sent the tie into extra time, during which the visitors were unable to produce a convincing response.

LASK continued to attack and made it 5-1. The hosts even missed a penalty that could have turned Celtic’s defeat into an extraordinary 6-1 scoreline. Martin O’Neill’s team surrendered a four-goal aggregate advantage and, with it, their place in the Champions League.

Celtic continued their European season in the Europa League, but the result in Linz immediately became the lowest point in Celtic’s European history, one marked by unforgettable triumphs and equally unforgettable failures.