Of all 36 teams in the league phase, Celtic are certainly among those least pleased to be competing at Europa League level. Nevertheless, that is the reality for Martin O'Neill's team. On Friday, the Celts learnt the identity of their eight opponents, with dates and kick off times now confirmed:
Celtic's confirmed UEFA Europa League fixture list
- Thursday 17 September: Ferencváros - Parkhead. Kick off 8pm.
- Thursday 15 October: Benfica - Estádio da Luz. Kick off 8pm.
- Thursday 22 October: Celta de Vigo - Parkhead. Kick off 8pm.
- Thursday 5 November: Beşiktaş - Parkhead. Kick off 8pm.
- Thursday 26 November: Torreense - Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa. Kick off 8pm.
- Thursday 10 December: Omonia - GSP Stadium. Kick off 5:45pm.
- Thursday 21 January: Olympique de Marseille - Parkhead. Kick off 8pm.
- Thursday 28 January: Royale Union Saint-Gilloise - Den Dreef. Kick off 8pm.
Note: All dates and kick off times are UK time.
Learn more about Celtic's Europa League opponents
- Olympique de Marseille: Celtic will face Marseille for the very first time, the eighth different French club the Hoops have come up against.
- Benfica: The Celts have previously met Benfica eight times, most recently in the Champions League group stages in 2012. That is the year Neil Lennon's team beat Barcelona and reached the round of 16.
- Ferencváros: Hungarian cup winners Ferencváros eliminated Celtic from Champions League qualifying behind-closed-doors in 2020. A year later, led by Ange Postecoglou, they beat the Green Eagles home and away in the Europa League group stages, 2-0 in Glasgow and then 3-2 in Budapest.
- Royale Union Saint-Gilloise: Celtic have previously clashed with four different Belgian clubs, but this will be a first-ever meeting with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Les Unionistes' home Stade Joseph Marien does not meet UEFA requirements, so the match will be played at Den Dreef in Leuven on the outskirts of Brussels.
- Celta de Vigo: The Hoops previously met Celta Vigo in the third round of the UEFA Cup in 2003, en route to Seville. Martin O'Neill's team won 1-0 at home, Henrik Larsson the only scorer, before losing 2-1 at Balaídos, but progressing on away goals.
- AC Omonia: This trip to Nicosia will be Celtic's first-ever clash with any Cypriot opposition.
- Beşiktaş: Amazingly, Celtic have only ever met Turkish opposition once before. In the Europa League group stages 11 years ago, Ronny Deila's team drew both matches with Fenerbahçe, set to meet their fierce İstanbul rivals this year.
- Torreense: Celtic will, uniquely, travel to Portugal to take on their cup winners Torreense, who are a second-tier outfit. Just days after beating Sporting CP in the Taça de Portugal Final, they were beaten in the play-offs by Casa Pia, failing to gain promotion, but are in the Europa League, the first non-top-tier side to qualify for a decadeo.
Add us as a preferred source on Google