Celtic step into a crucial Europa League night in Rotterdam as Martin O’Neill prepares his side for one of the toughest fixtures of his interim spell.
O’Neill has steadied the team domestically, but European football has delivered sharper lessons, none more so than the defeat to Midtjylland earlier in the campaign.
Speaking ahead of the game, O’Neill was frank about where Celtic stand and what is required. His focus remained on performance, learning, and ensuring the team compete from the first whistle. He also addressed the imminent handover to Nancy, stressing he will assist only if asked, preferring to offer an opinion rather than instruct a successor.
The interim boss once again highlighted the need to approach European nights with conviction, intensity and clarity — traits he feels Celtic showed only in phases during their last outing on the continent. With the squad stretched and confidence still rebuilding, there is little margin for error.
O’Neill made clear that staying in the competition remains his hope, even if he accepts the challenge ahead. Below are his key comments from his pre-match interview.
He said: (TNT Sports), “Performance is almost secondary to the result. Well, that’s football. But no, I’d like to play well.
“Obviously, the game against Midtjylland was a big, big learning curve for all of us, really… you’re in the game for half an hour, then within three minutes you’re 2–0 down, and then a third goal just before halftime. So you’re out of the game completely.
“You’ll learn something all the time about games. You know, in defeat, you’ll learn a lot. Even in victory, you can do.
“Tonight really is about trying to play as strongly as possible. Try and get on the front foot and just go on a time.
“I think that would be really up to the incoming manager as much as anything else… Somebody said, would you give him advice? I said no — if he asked my opinion on something.
“I would like us to try and still stay in the competition if we can.”
O’Neill’s comments show the balance Celtic need to find tonight, they have to learn from recent mistakes but still play with enough belief to put their stamp on the game in Rotterdam. His push to get the team on the front foot has been clear since he returned to the touchline.
His nod to the Midtjylland defeat is a reminder of how quickly European nights can get away from you. Celtic can’t afford that kind of lapse here. They’ll need more control, more concentration and a bit of grit if they’re going to take anything from De Kuip.
O’Neill also touched on Wilfried Nancy’s imminent arrival, making it clear he’ll help if asked but won’t step on the toes of the new manager. It’s the approach of someone who knows his job is temporary and wants the handover to be clean.
And with qualification still alive, he hasn’t given up on extending Celtic’s run in Europe. De Kuip is a tough place to go, but Celtic head into it with a clear aim, and a manager determined to see them give absolutely everything.
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