Martin O’Neill remaining upbeat about Celtic’s chances of European progression

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill remains optimistic about qualifying for the Europa League knockout stages despite a 4-1 defeat to Benfica in Lisbon. Jhon Duran scored twice for Benfica alongside goals from Alexander Bah and Vangelis Pavlidis, while Camilo Duran scored Celtic's sole goal. Following an opening 3-1 home loss to Ferencvaros, Celtic have suffered consecutive defeats in the competition.

Despite the result, O'Neill praised his side's improved second-half display, noting they created numerous chances and showed resilience after conceding preventable early goals. He stated the performance gave him the determination and belief that Celtic can still qualify across their remaining fixtures.