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Celtic - Club: the Club facts

The match

Next Wednesday night Club travels to Glasgow for the UEFA Champions League match of the 5th matchday in the league phase. Some European stats for this match:

  • It is the 366th European match for Club and the 418th for Celtic FC.
  • It is the 67th European match of a Belgian team against a Scottish club.
  • This is Blauw-Zwart's 101st match in the UEFA Champions League and the 67th in the group stage.
  • This is Club's 11th UCL campaign (group stage) and Celtic's 13th.

It is the first-ever European clash between the two teams. Celtic FC is the 136th unique opponent in Club Brugge's European history. The only other time Club played against a Scottish club in Europe was in the very first edition of the UCL group stage. In the 1992-1993 season, Celtic's city rival Rangers FC was Blauw-Zwart's opponent.

At Olympia Club took the lead just before half-time through Tomasz Dziubiński, but after the break Pieter Huistra (ex-Lierse) equalized for Rangers (1-1). At Ibrox, the home team was able to score first through Ian Durrant. Lorenzo Staelens was able to equalize, but Scott Nisbet provided the winning goal (2-1).

On their own field, the Bhoys achieved 3 wins and 1 defeat against Belgian teams.

In its past, Club Brugge had one Scottish player in its ranks: Jack Hendry.

  • He was an academy graduate of Celtic FC. He also played 27 games for the first team and won the double there twice (2018 and 2019).
  • From 2021 to 2023, defender Jack Hendry played for Club (with a six-month loan spell to Cremonese (Ita) in between).
  • In 2022, he scored in Club's title match at Antwerp (1-3).
  • Since last year, Hendry has been playing for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. In his first season there, he finished sixth in the Saudi Pro League.

In addition to Hendry, these players have also played for both Club and Celtic:

  • Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo (Bel): Club youth product who played for Club from 2013-2017 (64m 7g). The flank defender briefly appeared for Celtic in season 2021-22. Currently active at Standard.
  • Dedryck Boyata (Bel): Club player since 2022 (26m 1g). Played in Celtic's defense from 2015 to 2019 (90m 12g).
  • Stefan Šćepović (Srb): Played at Club in 2010-2011 season (7m 1g). At Celtic, the striker was active in 2014-2015 (9m 4g).
  • Joos Valgaeren (Bel): Came to Club from Celtic in 2005 and defended the Blue-Black ranks for 3 seasons (38m 0g).

And finally, of course, there is Arne Engels, who moved from FC Augsburg (Ger) to the Celts this summer.

  • The 21-year-old midfielder was a regular at Club NXT in 1B when he moved to FC Augsburg in January 2023. He played 50 matches (3g) there.
  • At Celtic, he also started well with a goal against Slovan Bratislava and already 3 assists in the UCL, plus 2 goals in the Scottish Premiership (vs Hearts and Dundee FC).
  • Engels already handed out 3 assists in the UCL. Of all Belgians, only Kevin De Bruyne (6 assists in 2022-23 and 4 assists in 2017-18, 2018-18 and 2020-21) had more assists in the Champions League in 1 season.

Club is 22nd in the league phase at the halfway point with 6 out of 12. Club must try to maintain its spot in the top 24, as the teams that fall outside it after eight playing days will not play European football this season.

  • On the first match day, Club lost to UCL finalist Borussia Dortmund (Jamie Gittens 2x, Serhou Guirassy) by exaggerated 0-3 figures.
  • More success for Club on the second match day: it went on to win 0-1 at Austrian champions SK Sturm Graz thanks to a beauty by Christos Tzolis.
  • On the third match day, Club went to rest at AC Milan with a goal behind (Pulisic) and a man less (red card Onyedika). After the break Club could still celebrate thanks to a goal by Kyriani Sabbe, but Tijjani Reijnders put the match in a final fold in favor of the home team with 2 goals (3-1).
  • On the previous match day, Club could stunt with a win against Premier League club Aston Villa FC. After a bizarre handball by Villa defender Mings, captain Hans Vanaken was able to stroke successfully from the spot.

Celtic has scored one more point than Club at the halfway point, good for 15th place in the rankings.

  • On the first match day, the Glasgow club defeated Slovan Bratislava 5-1. Liam Scales, Kyogo Furuhashi, Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda and Adam Isah were the executioners on duty, Kevin Wimmer saved the honor for the Slovaks.
  • On the second day of play, Celtic got a taste of their own medicine from Borussia Dortmund. Daizen Maeda was quick to erase a goal by Emre Can, but then things moved quickly: a hat-trick by Karim Adeyemi and a penalty kick by Serhou Guirassy made it 5-1 at halftime. After the break, Guirassy and Felix Nmecha added 2 more (7-1).
  • On the third day of play, Celtic earned a 0-0 draw at Atalanta BC's field.
  • Last matchday, RB Leipzig was put over the knee at Celtic Park. The visitors took the lead through Christoph Baumgartner, but Nicolas Kühn turned the deficit into a 2 goal lead before halftime. Reo Hatate recorded the 3-1 final score.

The opponent

The Celtic Football Club was founded in 1887. The rivalry with city rivals Rangers FC dates back to May 1888 when they played their first Old Firm. The club plays in green and white colors. Celtic won more than 100 prizes in its successful career! Domestically, it achieved 54 national titles, 42 Scottish Cups and 21 League Cups. Its greatest European success dates back to 1966-67 when Celtic became the first British team to win European Cup I (2-1 vs Inter Milan). In this century it played 1 more European final: losing the UEFA Cup 2-3 to FC Porto, 80,000 fans then traveled to Seville where the final took place.

The Hoops, as they are also once called, play their home matches at Celtic Park. The old stadium, where the club had played since 1892, was demolished in 1998 and replaced by the current stadium. With 60,832 seats, it is the largest stadium in Scotland.

In the UEFA Champions League, Celtic managed to survive the group stage 3 times but fell in the 1/8th finals each time: in 2007 vs AC Milan, in 2008 vs FC Barcelona and in 2013 vs Juventus.

Last season:

  • Celtic became champions, for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons. It finished 8 points ahead (93) of former Club Brugge coach Philippe Clement's Rangers FC.
  • Celtic was also too strong for Rangers in the final of the Scottish FA Cup. This Old Firm was won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Irishman Adam Idah in the 90th minute.
  • No success in the Scottish League Cup where there was an early elimination at Kilmarnock in the 2nd round.
  • In the Champions League, Celtic finished last in a pool with Atlético Madrid, S.S. Lazio and Feyenoord. Celtic gained 4 points, collected at home through a 2-2 draw against Atlético and a 2-1 win against Feyenoord.
  • Top shooters were Matt O'Riley (Den) and Kyogo Furuhashi (Jpn) with 19 goals. O'Riley, who left Celtic for Brighton this summer, also handed out the most assists with 18.

After 13 playing days (only 12 for Celtic due to a catch-up match), the Celts again lead the table in the Scottish Premiership (34pts). Due to a defeat by rival Aberdeen FC last weekend, Celtic is now sole leader. It is 3 points ahead of Aberdeen and 11 ahead of Rangers FC. Celtic is still unbeaten at home (11W 1D).

German right flank attacker Nicolas Kühn (24) is the main man at Celtic this season. He is both top marksman (11 gls: 5 in league, 2 in UCL and 4 in league cup) and assist king (11 assists: 6 in league, 1 in UCL and 4 in league cup).

Last summer, South Korean Hyeon-gyu Oh left Celtic for a transfer to KRC Genk. In addition, these players also left, among others: Joe Hart (end of career), Matt O'Riley, Tomoki Iwata, Mikey Johnston and Gustaf Lagerbielke.

The club reinforced with these players, among others:

  • Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel
  • Defenders: Auston Trusty and Álex Valle
  • Midfielders: Paulo Bernardo, Arne Engels and Luke McCowan
  • Attackers: Adam Idah

Celtic's coach is Brendan Rodgers (51). The Northern Irishman returned to the club since mid-2023. Previously, he also led the Bhoys from 2016 to 2019. In addition, he was manager of English clubs Liverpool FC, Leicester City FC, Swansea FC, Reading FC and Watford FC.

So Celtic already won 2 times in this UCL campaign. That's as many wins as in the 4 previous UCL campaigns (2W 6D 16L). It has been since the 2012-13 season that they won 3 times in the Champions League.

Celtic could already score 9 times this season in the UCL. That is their shared highest number in the UCL along with 2012-13. It has been since 1977-78 that they scored more goals in a European Cup for National Champions (13 at the time).

Milestones

  • Romeo Vermant can play his 30th game for Club Brugge.
  • For the other Club talent Joaquin Seys, it could be the 20th match.
  • Brandon Mechele can play the 80th European match for Club Brugge. Along with Simon Mignolet, he can play his 30th match in the UCL (excluding preliminary rounds).
  • Andreas Skov Olsen can be in action for Club for the 10th time in the UCL group stage/league phase.
  • For Maxim De Cuyper and Ferran Jutglà, it could be the 25th European match at Club.
  • Hugo Vetlesen can be in action for Blauw-Zwart for the 20th time in European action.

Club Brugge last 5 wins in the UCL were each time with a clean sheet: 1-0 vs Aston Villa, 0-1 vs Sturm Graz, 2-0 vs Atlético Madrid, 0-4 at FC Porto and 1-0 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Only Inter Milan (64%) achieved a higher percentage of clean sheets in the UCL than Club Brugge (58%) since the start of the 2022-23 season.

Club Brugge has 5 players who played every minute of the UCL: Hans Vanaken, Simon Mignolet, Maxim De Cuyper, Brandon Mechele and Joel Ordóñez. This is the highest number of any team in the UCL.

Coach Nicky Hayen can call upon Raphael Onyedika again in the UCL, who was suspended against Aston Villa.

Brandon Mechele can play the 80th European game for Club Brugge. This would bring him to the same number as Timmy Simons. Only Gert Verheyen (88) played more games in Europe for Club Brugge.

The referee

Bulgarian Georgi Kabakov was appointed ref for Wednesday's match. He will be assisted by his compatriots Martin Margaritov and Diyan Valkov (linesmen) and Vasil Minev (fourth official). The VAR is Dragomir Draganov (Bul), assisted by Christian Dingert (Ger). The UEFA referee observer is Nuno Alexandre Parreira de Castro (Por). The UEFA representative is Knut Bjørn Nordheim (Nor).

The 38-year-old ref, from Plovdiv, has been whistling matches at the international level since 2013. Domestically, he has been refereeing at the highest level since 2008. He is a UEFA Category 1 ref, the second highest level.

It is already the third time Kabakov will be leading a Club match. He already whistled 2 matches of Club in 2019: in the Europa League at home against RB Salzburg (Aut) and also the memorable away match in the Champions League at Real Madrid (2-2). It will be Club's eighth European match led by a Bulgarian ref.