Celtic sunk at home by Ferencvaros as Juventus hit five

Celtic opened their Europa League campaign with a 3-1 home defeat to Ferencvaros at Celtic Park on 17 September.

The Hungarian champions struck first through Bamidele Yusuf. Celtic levelled late in the first half when Mika Baur finished to make it 1-1. The second half belonged to the visitors. Kristoffer Zachariassen put Ferencvaros back in front, then Daniel Arzani scored on his return to Celtic Park to seal the win, according to The Guardian.

Martin O’Neill was in charge of Celtic for the tie. The game was a league-phase tie in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League, the competition’s single-table opening stage where results decide who reaches the knockouts, as listed by UEFA.

It was a familiar opponent. Celtic had met Ferencvaros three times in Europe before this one, including a 2-1 home loss in a one-legged Champions League qualifier, according to BBC Sport. This was another difficult night in Glasgow. Celtic started brightly enough after the break. But two clear chances for the visitors turned into two goals, and the home crowd went quiet.

Elsewhere on Matchday 1, Juventus were ruthless. The Italians beat NEC Nijmegen 5-0 at home. Nicolás González gave them the lead in the ninth minute. Nick Woltemade added a penalty, and Randal Kolo Muani completed the scoring late on.

Besiktas beat Marseille 4-1 in Istanbul. It was a loud, fast night, and the Turkish side took full advantage.

There were tighter wins elsewhere. OFI Crete beat Hoffenheim 2-0 at home. RB Salzburg won 1-0 away to Levski Sofia in Bulgaria.

What makes this stand out for Celtic is the manner of it. Losing at home on the opening night leaves little room for error. The league phase runs for eight games, so the table can change quickly. But chasing points away from home is always harder.

For fans, this means a slow start with plenty still to play for. Celtic will need a response on the road. Ferencvaros, meanwhile, leave Glasgow with three points and a night to remember.