UEFA has confirmed the full team of match officials who will take charge of Celtic v Roma in the Europa League at Celtic Park on Thursday evening.
It will be Wilfried Nancy’s second match in charge of the Scottish Champions after his debut defeat against Hearts on Sunday. It is also the Frenchman’s first ever experience of UEFA competition as a manager and he will be searching for his first win following the disappointing 2-1 loss to Derek McInnes’ side.
According to UEFA.com, the officiating team will come almost entirely from Romania. The referee is István Kovács and he will be assisted by Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunyogi. The fourth official is Szabolcs Kovacs. The Video Assistant Referee is Cătălin Popa and the Assistant VAR is Jérôme Brisard from France.
Soccer Football – UEFA Champions League – Villarreal v Juventus – Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain – October 1, 2025 Referee Istvan Kovacs REUTERS/Pablo Morano
Kovács is not a new face at Celtic Park. He has refereed Celtic vs Astana back in 2016 and the Romanian oversaw the infamous 4-1 defeat to Sparta Prague during the Covid season when empty stands added to a bleak night for the club. Thursday will be a very different atmosphere. Kovács has also taken charge of major fixtures in recent years, including Liverpool v Real Madrid in the Champions League, so the scale of the occasion will be nothing new to him.
Soccer Football – Scottish Premiership – Celtic v Heart of Midlothian – Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – December 7, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Celtic’s Europa League Chances
The Hoops will likely need four points from their remaining three Europa League matches to reach the next round. Roma arrive in Glasgow after a shaky domestic run, but they will still back themselves in Europe. They are already familiar with the city after beating Rangers at Ibrox earlier in the competition and will view Thursday as another opportunity to steady their season.
It is a massive night for Nancy as he takes his first steps into European football. Celtic Park under the lights delivers a different kind of energy and the manager will hope that this is where his tenure truly begins to take shape.
Wilfried Nancy’s Tough Celtic Start
This week already feels like a baptism of fire for Nancy. Celtic aren’t just fighting to stay in Europe. They’re also gearing up for a League Cup final on Sunday.
This season’s results have been hit-and-miss, performances have lacked consistency, and the new manager has walked straight into the middle of it all. A cup final so early in his time at the club isn’t exactly ideal, but it does open the door to something bigger. Win a trophy before the year ends, and the outlook changes fast. Lose, and the spotlight intensifies before he’s even had a real chance to settle.
Nancy has talked about identity and structure. Celtic fans will be hoping that some kind of form starts to take shape in the next few days. A European night on Thursday, a shot at silverware on Sunday, and a pivotal January transfer window looming. It’s a packed schedule that shows just how big the job in front of him really is.
