Celtic spent too much of Celtic vs Celta Vigo moving the ball in safe areas and not enough time controlling the moments that decide European matches. They led Celta Vigo, then lost 2-1, and the pattern now looks familiar. The disputed first-half incident involving Callum Osmand will dominate the argument, but it does not explain away three Europa League defeats from three.

Celtic's control problem in Europe

The tactical issue is not hard to spot. Celtic had plenty of possession circulation, but too much of it came through deeper players rather than in positions that hurt Celta Vigo consistently. Liam Scales had 121 touches, more than any Celtic player. Kieran Tierney had 79 and Sam Johnstone had 69. Those are big involvement numbers, but they also point to a side spending long spells building from the back without turning that control into authority over the game.

That is why the collapse after the opener felt so damaging. Celtic went ahead when Mika Baur scored on 47 minutes, only for Celta Vigo to respond with 2 goals in 3 minutes. Javi Rodríguez got both. Once the equaliser landed, the game swung away from Celtic far too quickly.

Martin O'Neill, quoted by bbc.co.uk, said: "We take the lead in the game, if we get the second goal we win the match and it changes the whole dynamic. It didn't happen, that's it - we need to try to find a way to win European games."

That last line is the one that sticks. Celtic have now lost all 3 of their Europa League matches and sit 35th of 36 teams. They have conceded 9 goals in those 3 games. Stretch it wider and the run is harsher still: four straight European defeats, 14 goals conceded, and only one previous season where they lost 4 European matches in the same campaign, the 2017-18 Champions League.

Domestically, the contrast is obvious. Celtic are top of the Premiership with 24 points from 9 matches. In Europe, they still look short when matches speed up and the mistakes start to come in bunches.

The Osmand incident and the bigger issue

The penalty argument is real. Osmand went down in the box during the first half and Georgi Kabakov waved it away without VAR intervention. Neil Lennon, quoted by dailyrecord.co.uk, said: "That is beyond me that (why it's not a penalty). It's either a foul outside the box or a penalty."

Stiliyan Petrov was just as critical, also quoted by dailyrecord.co.uk: "I just don't know how he (Kabakov) hasn't seen it. There are a lot of questions about Kabakov as he has only refereed four games in the Bulgarian League and six in the Europa League."

Those complaints deserve space because the incident could have changed the match. Celtic were at home, the score was still level at that stage and a major call went against them, or at least appeared to. But the broader evidence still points back to Celtic's own level in this competition.

James McFadden, quoted by bbc.co.uk, said: "The performances at this level haven't been good enough. Celtic are way short." Pat Bonner made the same point more specifically: "I don't think Celtic are good enough, individually and collectively, to take on a team that's eighth in La Liga."

That feels closer to the truth than turning the whole night into an officiating story. One decision can hurt you. Repeated defensive collapses across four European matches are a team problem.

The next European test

Martin O'Neill said Celtic are still in with a chance, so this is not beyond recovery yet. But the table is already ugly, and the defensive trend is worse than the standings alone. Celtic's next European outing is at home to Besiktas on 5 November.

FAQ

Why are Celtic struggling so badly in Europe this season?

The main issue is not one refereeing call, it is how often Celtic lose control against stronger opponents. They have lost all 3 Europa League matches, sit 35th of 36 teams and have conceded 9 goals in those games. Across their last 4 European matches, they have conceded 14 goals.

Was Callum Osmand denied a penalty against Celta Vigo?

The incident remains disputed rather than settled. Callum Osmand went down in the box in the first half and referee Georgi Kabakov waved play on without VAR intervention. Neil Lennon said it was either a foul outside the box or a penalty, while the broader result still reflected Celtic's bigger European problems.

How bad is Celtic's current Europa League position?

It is a serious start to the league phase. Celtic are 35th out of 36 teams after 3 defeats from 3, and they have conceded 9 goals already. The wider run is worse because they have also lost their last 4 European matches, shipping 14 goals in total.

When is Celtic's next Europa League match after the Celta Vigo defeat?

Celtic's next European game is at home to Besiktas on 5 November. After losing 1-2 to Celta Vigo and opening with 3 defeats from 3 in the Europa League, that fixture already looks important for their hopes of recovering.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →