Celtic’s Europa League campaign suffered a setback on Thursday when they were beaten 2‑0 at home by Sporting Braga. The Scottish champions fell behind after Ricardo Horta’s long‑range effort gave Braga the lead, and a second goal from Gabri Martínez ten minutes from full‑time sealed the victory. Although both sides created chances, Braga’s clinical finishing proved the difference.
Celtic thought they had pulled level when forward Kelechi Iheanacho appeared to score, but a lengthy VAR review disallowed the goal for a handball. The decision sparked controversy, with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers insisting the call was wrong. “There’s absolutely no way from every angle you look at that he’s touched it,” Rodgers said in a post‑match interview. “It hit his face, he’s gone away and finished it really well. That’s a big moment in the game for us.”
The loss leaves Celtic with a challenging task ahead as they seek to bounce back and regain momentum in the competition. The Europa League, a premier international club tournament featuring top teams from across Europe, offers Celtic a platform to test themselves against elite opposition and showcase their capabilities on the continental stage. As the campaign continues, Celtic will aim to regroup, learn from their mistakes and improve their performance in upcoming fixtures, hoping to make a lasting impact in the tournament.
Comments are closed for this story.