Many people are still trying to piece together Celtic’s exit from the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Champions League draw took place on Thursday, and Celtic’s name didn’t feature for the first time in four years after their humiliating penalty loss to Kairat Almaty.
Celtic might be dominating on the domestic stage, and Brendan Rodgers has played a huge part in that, but that doesn’t mean the fans have been forgiving for what is happening in Europe.
To put it simply, this should never have happened, and there has been a lot of interesting reaction to it all.
Photo by Harold Cunningham – UEFA/UEFA via Getty ImagesJim White and Simon Jordan on Celtic’s Champions League exit
Many arguments have been made about Celtic’s Champions League exit, and there is some truth to a lot of what is being said.
Simon Jordan wanted to highlight how the players and management, regardless of what has or hasn’t happened during the 2025 summer transfer window, should take more responsibility for losing this tie.
Added to that, the former Crystal Palace owner suggested that Celtic are top of the pile in the Premiership, that’s all that matters, so, ‘what’s all the hysteria about?’
But Jim White rightfully reminded Jordan of Celtic’s history in the European Cup, and that proud 1967 side, as he told talkSPORT.
“I thought the major thing in Scotland was to finish above Rangers,” said Jordan. ‘And if you did that, then you were in good nick, and if you win the Scottish Premiership. That was it. That was all. And now the narrative shifts.
“You are playing against a team that had some of their best players missing. It’s a poor set of performances. I know the narrative will be, and the underlying observations will be they didn’t buy this, they didn’t buy that or the other. There is probably some truth in that.
“But you also have to look at the management, the team and Brendan Rodgers for the outcome of those two games – last time I looked, they have got nine points in the Scottish Premiership.
“They had a bad turnout in the Champions League, which they aren’t going to win anyway, and probably would have gone out in the group stages, again! So, what’s all the hysteria?”
White responded: “I’ll tell you what is serious, Simon. Reputational loss is huge here for Celtic. What many people forget down here (in England) is that Celtic were the first British club to win the European Cup. Albeit way back in 1967.”
Jordan interrupted: “And Preston won the FA Cup in 1920. Who cares?”
White then added: “But somebody had to do it, and Celtic did it. Talk about a fall from grace. When you look at them, this is the Scottish champions. Kairat, meanwhile, have never played in the Champions League proper. They are 311th in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, and Celtic are 56th.
“The squad value of Kairat is £11 million. The squad value of Celtic is £125 million. This should never have happened.”
British clubs that have won the European Cup
Celtic’s famous Lisbon Lions will forever remain in the history books as the first British side to lift Europe’s main trophy.
Unfortunately, times have changed forever, and finances play a huge part in success now, but how many British sides have tasted European Cup success?
A fair few of them have emerged for the very first time since the turn of the century, and their big pockets have played a huge part.
1967: Celtic1968: Manchester United1977: Liverpool1978: Liverpool1979: Nottingham Forest1980: Nottingham Forest1981: Liverpool1982: Aston Villa1984: Liverpool1999: Manchester United2005: Liverpool2008: Manchester United2012: Chelsea2019: Liverpool2021: Chelsea2023: Manchester City