NafisaCeltic’s European campaign has plunged into further turmoil after Martin O’Neill was reportedly left ‘absolutely raging’ at the referee during their damaging Europa League clash against Celta Vigo.
The Hoops went into the match desperately needing a result after suffering defeats against Ferencváros and Benfica in their opening two fixtures. With their hopes of reaching the knockout stages already under pressure, Thursday’s showdown presented a crucial opportunity to get their campaign back on track.
For a period, it appeared Celtic might finally have something to celebrate. However, what followed proved disastrous for O’Neill’s side, with a controversial refereeing decision preceding Celta Vigo’s equaliser before the Scottish champions eventually suffered another painful defeat.
And the incident that infuriated the Celtic manager could leave supporters questioning how their team was denied a potentially important decision at such a decisive moment.
Martin O’Neill furious after referee denies Celtic a free-kick
According to journalist Andy Burke, O’Neill was spotted ‘absolutely raging’ at the referee after Celtic were denied a free-kick for an apparent foul on striker Camilo Duran shortly before Celta Vigo scored.
Celtic had taken the lead in the second half and were looking to protect their advantage when Duran was involved in the incident. The referee, however, allowed play to continue rather than awarding the Hoops a free-kick.
Moments later, the decision became even more significant when Celta Vigo were awarded a free-kick of their own.
The Spanish side took full advantage of the opportunity, delivering the ball into the penalty area, where Javi Rodriguez rose to head home the equaliser.
The sequence left Celtic furious, with O’Neill seemingly convinced his team should have received the earlier decision. Had the referee stopped play for the challenge on Duran, the circumstances surrounding Celta’s equaliser could have been very different.
It was a particularly frustrating moment for the Celtic boss given the importance of the match and the pressure already building on his team following their disastrous start to the Europa League campaign.
However, while the apparent foul will undoubtedly attract attention, Celtic still had to deal with the free-kick that followed, and their defensive weaknesses once again came back to haunt them.
Celtic defensive problems exposed once again
The equaliser highlighted familiar problems for a Celtic side that has struggled to find consistency at the back in Europe.
Rodriguez was afforded space inside the penalty area to attack the delivery, and Sam Johnstone was criticised for his handling of the header, with the goalkeeper potentially capable of doing better.
The goal was especially damaging because Celtic had worked hard to get themselves into a winning position after a strong start to the second half.
Instead of building on their advantage, they allowed Celta Vigo back into the contest, giving the Spanish side renewed belief at a crucial stage of the game.
The situation deteriorated further when Rodriguez scored again just moments later, leaving Celtic with another mountain to climb.
For O’Neill, the frustration was therefore about more than the disputed free-kick. The referee’s decision may have played a role in the equaliser, but Celtic’s inability to defend the resulting set-piece and respond to the setback represented another serious concern.
The manager will have expected greater composure from his players, particularly in a fixture where the consequences of another defeat were so significant.
Another European nightmare for Celtic
Celtic ultimately failed to recover after Rodriguez’s second goal, suffering a third consecutive defeat in the Europa League.
Their losses against Ferencváros and Benfica had already left them under pressure, and the latest setback has made their prospects of progressing to the next round considerably more difficult.
O’Neill was reportedly left visibly deflated around full-time and walked straight down the tunnel after the match, underlining the disappointment surrounding another damaging European night.
The Celtic manager now faces the challenge of lifting his players ahead of their next domestic fixture against Hibernian.
There will be understandable frustration among supporters over the refereeing incident involving Duran, particularly given how quickly Celta Vigo turned the situation into an equaliser.
Nevertheless, Celtic must also confront the defensive shortcomings and costly mistakes that have repeatedly undermined their European performances.
The controversial decision may dominate the post-match discussion, but it cannot entirely explain another defeat that leaves the club facing an increasingly difficult route towards the Europa League knockout stages.
For O’Neill, the immediate priority will be restoring confidence and ensuring that the disappointment in Spain does not spill into Celtic’s domestic campaign. With pressure mounting and European qualification now hanging by a thread, his side have little room for further mistakes.
Nafisa
