NafisaCeltic travelled to Portugal hoping to deliver a performance that would silence their European doubters, but their 4-1 defeat to Benfica left more questions than answers for Martin O’Neill and his players.
The Scottish champions struggled to contain Benfica’s attacking threat, conceded three times before the break and ultimately suffered a damaging night in the Europa League. Although there were disappointing performances across the team, two players endured particularly difficult evenings.
For a side that needed composure, defensive discipline and control in midfield, Celtic repeatedly fell short. Benfica exposed their weaknesses with ruthless efficiency, leaving the visitors chasing shadows for long periods of the contest.
And while goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo came under scrutiny after conceding four goals, the player ratings published by GiveMeSport identified two other Celtic stars as their biggest disappointments.
Colby Donovan and Oliver Sørensen both received an F rating, placing them below Sinisalo in the post-match assessment and highlighting the extent of their struggles in Lisbon.
Donovan Exposed as Benfica Turn Up the Pressure
Donovan endured a difficult evening against Benfica, with his defensive struggles providing one of the clearest examples of Celtic’s problems at the back.
The young defender found it difficult to deal with Gianluca Prestianni, who repeatedly caused problems and prevented Donovan from settling into the contest. Celtic needed their defenders to remain composed under pressure, but the youngster struggled to impose himself.
His difficulties were not limited to defending, either. Donovan offered little going forward, leaving Celtic without the attacking contribution they needed from the position.
Against European opposition capable of exploiting even the smallest opening, those shortcomings proved costly to the overall performance. Celtic were unable to establish the control required to make life uncomfortable for Benfica, and Donovan was among those who struggled to change the momentum.
The F rating from GiveMeSport underlined just how disappointing his contribution was considered to be.
It was a particularly frustrating night for Celtic because the problems were not confined to one isolated incident. Benfica repeatedly threatened, while the visitors failed to find the defensive stability that might have allowed them to remain competitive.
Donovan was not solely responsible for the defeat, but his performance left plenty of room for improvement as O’Neill assesses how his team can respond.
Sørensen Struggles as Celtic Lose Control of Midfield
If Donovan struggled to contain Benfica out wide, Sørensen had his own problems in the middle of the pitch.
The midfielder was unable to get close enough to Benfica’s midfielders and struggled to make an impression on the game. Celtic needed greater control and energy in that area, particularly as the hosts began to dictate the tempo, but Sørensen failed to provide the influence required.
His work on the ball was another concern highlighted in the ratings. Celtic needed players capable of retaining possession, making sensible decisions and helping the team move up the pitch under pressure. Instead, Sørensen struggled to make his presence felt.
The midfielder had been selected ahead of Benjamin Nygren, making his disappointing display an especially difficult one to overlook.
Nygren eventually entered the game, but the damage had already been done as Benfica established a commanding advantage. Sørensen’s struggles reflected the broader problems Celtic experienced throughout the evening, with the visitors unable to match their opponents’ intensity or technical quality.
An F rating placed him among the biggest disappointments of the night, and it will inevitably invite further scrutiny over his contribution.
Sinisalo Also Under Scrutiny After Four-Goal Defeat
Although Donovan and Sørensen received the lowest grades, Sinisalo was far from escaping criticism.
The goalkeeper could do little about some of Benfica’s goals, but GiveMeSport questioned whether he should have done better when Jhon Durán scored his second of the night. The assessment also raised questions about why Sam Johnstone had not started.
Celtic’s defensive problems made Sinisalo’s task difficult, but the goalkeeper’s performance still attracted attention as the visitors conceded four times.
Dane Murray also endured a nightmare start, conceding a penalty after bringing down Durán inside the opening five minutes. The striker converted the spot-kick by chipping the ball down the middle, immediately putting Celtic under pressure.
Alexander Bah doubled Benfica’s advantage in the 20th minute before Durán struck again to make it 3-0. Camilo Durán pulled one back for Celtic with a header from a Haissem Hassan cross, but Vangelis Pavlidis added Benfica’s fourth in the 90th minute.
The result left Celtic with plenty to address, and the performances of Donovan and Sørensen will be among the concerns O’Neill must consider.
Neither player was solely responsible for the defeat, but the ratings made the verdict clear: both were judged to have fallen well short of the standard required on a night when Celtic were comprehensively beaten.
Nafisa
