2023-24 UEFA Champions League

Oof, that's a cracker of a goal against City!

And Morata Puts Atleti back level. Poor auld Celtic.

Celtic are knackered

Doesn't seem to matter what Celtic do in Europe, can't buy a win, even when deserved. They've been impressive and have gone for it, but no luck again and again. You contrast that to the luck United continually get and football doesn't seem fair

I know, but particularly in recent years, they've let the shackles off and went for it against better teams. You'd think something would go for them at some point.

It's not as if their parking a bus against better teams, they're trying their best to be positive, yet no reward again and again. You'd think at least once, something would go in their favour when the game is in the melting pot

Everything seems to go against them, every match, despite them being brave and industrious, can't seem to catch a break in Europe!

Is there still widespread support for Celtic in ireland actually? It feels anecdotally like the disconnect between 'irishness' and celtic has grown pretty large over the past few years. Like, I know there are a decent number of regular Celtic fans - but in contrast to something like the bandwagon appeal of one of the national teams doing well, does a successful celtic bring interest from many who aren't already active fans? I could be totally wrong, but I'm not sure I see as much potential of a 'galvanizing' of broader Irish support behind them.

I wonder have RTE paid for a cheaper 'Scottish package' for the Champions League rather than an international package.

Seems no obvious footballing reason to pick AM v Celtic tonight instead of say Dortmund v Newcastle, as unfortunately Celtic despite not playing badly have little chance of progressing. I guess if RTE stick with them in Week 5 v Lazio then it'll be some sort of loose confirmation. I know there's a fan base here but interestingly TV3/VM (who should in theory be taking an even more ruthlessly commercial approach) haven't shown either of their Wednesday games so far.

Maybe they'll show me up by winning a thriller tonight and RTE will be justified.

edit : Just seem Dortmund v Newcastle is an early ko, so Celtic game is probably the logical choice tonight.

The bandwagon aspect was definitely bigger when Celtic (and Rangers, to a lesser extent) were more competitive on the European stage. Celtic rivalled the English clubs at times and Rangers relative success gave them another team to cheer against.

Irish Celtic fans who would have lauded the quality of the SPL over the LOI have now lost a legitimate part of their argument as Celtic's stock in Europe has fallen. Now, all their fans really have to look forward to is the Old Firm.

Those few years where Rangers disappeared actually damaged Celtic. They just couldn't get as excited about the SPL when their biggest rival was gone, they were winning triple-trebles and Aberdeen/Kilmarnock/St. Johnstone were never going to fill the Rangers gap.

Though plenty of Celtic fans deny it, Ireland's (the Republic) changing identity and the move away from sectarianism and the RCC means the reasons for supporting Celtic are not as relevant as they once were.

The biggest Celtic fans I know are rebel song-singing, 32-county-wanting nationalists who are only Catholic when it comes to weddings and the census. And this demographic is shrinking as what being Irish is in the 21st century changes (due to immigration from very different cultural backgrounds) and the Troubles are left further behind, thankfully.

Shakhtar one up at home to Barca.

Under a lot of pressure to score with that teammate looking for the square ball.

If PSG win tonight then Newcastle will struggle to get out of the group with PSG last game away and PSG looking for a bit of revenge after the first game.

PSG lose and Newcastle could struggle to even make the Europa League.

PSG are not gonna lose this though.

An outrageous decision to send Maeda off for that - Celtic down to 10 men

It was a supside lazy tackle that gave the officials a decision to make. Didnt think it was going to be given, but can't really blame anyone but himself

Why are rte showing the Celtic game....the result was always a forgone conclusion. Surely the Milan Psg game would have more interest....

Just saw the Maeda red card... hard enough to argue with it in the context of the Curtis Jones red. Today's was much more clear cut than that even, straight into the opposition players foot without any mitigating contact with the ball. (at least from the one angle i saw anyway)

There's always been a duty of care on the motion of a foot coming down though.

In a vacuum, I'd have said yellow myself. But in the context of other similar recent challenges that got reds, then I can understand the red here.

Huge win for Milan - that group is turning into a real cracker.

That puts Newcastle bottom now, but anyone can still qualify through to the knockouts.

Newcastle really need a win away in Paris in the next game though, anything else will put them in big trouble.

Yeah, over the past few years - unless my own team is playing - for the most part I only tend to watch the group stages through James Richardson's live goals show. Aside from the odd big clash that gets more fiery than expected, most group games are just not that interesting, without much jeopardy.

It was refreshing to watch that Milan PSG game tonight.

Normally you don't get games like that until the knockouts in Feb or March.

The groups are generally a waste of time.

That's the question though - does it still? I think it did to an extent maybe 15 years ago. I'm not really sure anymore... I just don't know how much connection your average Irish person under 40 really feels to Glasgow Celtic these days. To my teenage nephews for instance (19 and 16 and huge into football), they're just another team.