Celtic Faces Besiktas in Europa League Seeking First Points of the Campaign

Celtic is set to host Besiktas in the Europa League on Guy Fawkes Night, hoping to rediscover the strong form they displayed exactly two years ago when they defeated RB Leipzig 3-1 in the Champions League. The Parkhead club has struggled to replicate that success in European competition recently, suffering previous November 5 home defeats against Sparta Prague in 2020 and Molde in 2015.

Martin O'Neill's side enters the match searching for their first points of the European campaign after recording three consecutive defeats against Ferencvaros, Benfica, and Celta Vigo. Currently standing as one of only four teams without a point after three matches, Celtic is dangerously close to the bottom of the 36-team table, kept out of last place only by Ararat Armenia's inferior goal difference.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, O'Neill acknowledged the difficult arithmetic facing his squad with 15 points still available. "I was told that any team who's lost their first three games haven't made it through, so it doesn't augur brilliantly for us if that's the case," O'Neill said. "So if we go on for a fourth one, then that would be a world record. We're definitely running out of matches, no question about it."

The team's recent domestic struggles compound the European pressure, following a 2-0 defeat at Falkirk that leaves Celtic with only three wins from their last 10 matches across all competitions. O'Neill admitted he has not yet finalized his strongest starting lineup, citing heavy rotation to manage player fatigue amid a demanding stretch of nine matches in roughly 20 days.

Wednesday's fixture also marks the return of former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu, who departed Glasgow for Genk in the summer of 2024 before moving to Besiktas in January for a reported fee of £12 million. The South Korea international expressed mixed emotions about returning to Parkhead, where he scored 12 goals in 18 months despite limited starting opportunities.

Reflecting on his departure and upcoming reunion, Oh shared his appreciation for his former club and supporters. "I couldn't speak English properly back then but everyone welcomed me like family here. And Celtic became like my second home," Oh said through a translator. "Maybe I will be emotional if I score, but I will give everything for Besiktas."

With time running out in the league phase, O'Neill and his players know that a turnaround must begin immediately if they are to salvage their European campaign. Achieving a positive result against Besiktas will require overcoming both their current winless streak and the mounting historical odds against teams starting with three losses.