Martin O’Neill was still upbeat at his post-match media conference after Celtic’s 4-1 defeat in Lisbon last night to a Benfica side that he believes could go onto win the Europa League…
October 15, 2026, Lisbon, Portugal: Colby Donovan L of Celtic FC and Gianluca Prestianni R of SL Benfica seen in action during the UEFA Europa League Matchday 2 between SL Benfica and Celtic FC at Estadio da Luz Stadium. Final score SL Benfica 4 :1 Celtic FC Lisbon Portugal – Photo Hugo Amaral IMAGO
Q: Martin, what are your thoughts on that match?
Martin O’Neill: “Naturally disappointed to lose the match. At 2-0, we have a fantastic chance to make it 2-1, spurned that, and a couple of minutes later they make it 3-0, but I thought the second half performance, I thought we were absolutely excellent.
“The substitutions were very strong there, the substitutes coming on, Haissem Hassan on one side and young Callum Osmand on the other side. Considering he wasn’t even in the squad last Sunday, he’s coming back from injury and I thought he did brilliantly.
“We created about five great chances in the game. We hit the woodwork I think three times. There’s always the possibility of Benfica on the break scoring against us as they did. I get great encouragement for this and even though we’ve lost the two games and we’re down to six matches, I genuinely believe that we can make it.”
Callum McGregor of Celtic Benfica v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal – 15 Oct 2026Lisbon Estadio da Luz Portugal Photo Javier Garcia/Shutterstock
Q: The attacking play, it was excellent in the second half, making all those chances. Benfica had loads of chances as well though, is it a concern how easily at times they were able to cut through?
Martin O’Neill: “I didn’t mind towards the end, they’re a very fine side. I think they’ve spent about £100 million this particular season or pretty well close to it and they are a fine side, they’re one of the favourites for the competition. But yes, I do think they get in rather easily, just one cross, we’re coming out instead of defending it, defending the space or defending the player properly. That’s a natural concern, hopefully we can eradicate that during the course of the season.
“But I’m really pleased with the team in the second half. We could have crumbled, we didn’t do and I thought we showed some character to get back into the game. Had we made it 3-2 with 15 odd minutes to go, it might have been a really interesting, a massive chance for us. We should have scored but we didn’t.
“But yes, it’s not bravado on my part, I take great courage from it. I’m just really pleased with the way the team played, particularly the substitutions, the impact the substitutions made.”
Camilo Duran of Celtic FC looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 League Phase MD2 match between SL Benfica vs Celtic FC at Estádio do Lisboa e Benfica on October 15th,2026 Photo by Joao Bravo/Sports IMAGO
Q: Not the results you would have wanted in your first two Europa League games but have you seen enough that you feel in the next six games that you can get the points you need?
Martin O’Neill: “I genuinely believe that. As I said to you, it’s not bravado on my part here today. I would absolutely, I thought we showed in the second half that we were capable. I thought in all honesty, despite the great chance we had to make it 2-1 a few minutes later, we were a bit passive. That might just have been early on in the occasion, it might have been the early goal that we conceded. But yes, I thought we did really well in the second half and it gives me great heart.I feel that, we think we can do it. I know it’s tough, six games to go, but I think that our ambition is to try and make it.”
Q: You talked about the improvements in the second half, Camilo Duran through the middle, his performance in the second half. Is there an argument to say that you maybe want to start playing him through the middle a bit more and trying to find ways to get him playing through the middle rather than out wide?
Martin O’Neill: “Yes, that is his strongest position. He can play wide, he has done that there in his previous clubs. But I personally feel his best position is there and it’s a matter of us trying to fit that in and I feel we can do that.”
Q: How tough is that going to be when you’ve got Kasper Hogh and there are other options there, especially with the money that was paid for Kasper?
Martin O’Neill: “You know what it is, I think it’s a battle for places. It really should be this. It’s something I’ve just said to the boys in the dressing room, ‘If you want to be part of this, you go and knuckle down, you be a part of it. Because we’ve got a long season ahead, we’ve got a big, big game on Sunday, another match in the league coming up.’
“Honestly, there is a steely determination within the group. It was tough, it was tough the first half today, but we got at them and we felt as if we could have done that a wee bit earlier.”
Q: Callum Osmand’s obviously had his injury problems since he came in, we saw flashes of what he’s capable of tonight. Is the hope that if he can stay fit and get a run of performances that he can have a real impact this season?
Martin O’Neill: “Because he’s come back quite late, he only did a little bit of training the last few days before we played Motherwell. He didn’t make the squad then, he came in tonight and I really thought he was terrific. Maybe he should have squared one at the end of it, but I thought he was terrific. He really caused them problems, so much so that I think they changed the full back. He’d been on with a yellow card, I believe.
Q: The club were used to winning games regularly in the Champions League, you’re now finding it very difficult to win games regularly in the Europa League. Who or what do you think is to blame for the club’s decline in European fortunes over the years?
Martin O’Neill: “That’s a big, big question. I haven’t seen all the things that have happened over the last 20 odd years. I have just spoken to the Benfica manager before the game and naturally, although he wasn’t here at the time, but they are massively disappointed that they’re not in the Champions League and they could give a good account of themselves. There are some really serious teams in this Europa League and, that aside, your question demands a longer answer than I can give at this minute.’
Q: In the second half, Camilo Duran moved up as your main attacking reference and Celtic were more dangerous going forward. Tactically, what did you change from the first half to the second?
Martin O’Neill: “I thought we were a bit passive in the first half. In the second half, we made the two substitutions. Hassan coming on, on one side, within 10 minutes, he has created some things for us. I know it was maybe a rather weak shot twice, but overall, he finally created the goal for us.
“Duran, as we mentioned earlier, goes to centre-forward and little Osmand. Those players coming on give us the real impetus. We were taking people on and causing them problems. The number of chances that we created in the match, we probably should have got something more. Of course, on the break, Benfica were very dangerous. They also could have scored more goals.
“To me, I was really pleased. It gives us that sort of determination to try and make it through. Benfica have got six points on the board. We don’t have any, but we’ve got six matches. We might as well start with the next Europa League game.”
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