Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Tom English
BBC Scotland chief sports writer on Sportsound
Martin O'Neill summed it up well in his press conference yesterday. It's substance over style from the get-go. You've got to win. Style can come later. But you've got to win, especially if you're a new Old Firm manager.
There are no excuses. Russell Martin found that out. [Wilfried Nancy] has to get out of the traps quickly.
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSFeyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Feyenoord's top scorer this season is Japan striker Ayase Ueda, who has scored 13 goals in 18 outings, with winger Anis Hadj Moussa stepping up this season having been on loan at Vitesse in the last campaign.
Leo Sauer, the Slovakia wideman featured in all of his country's 2026 World Cup qualifiers, should also figure, with £8.8m summer signing Sam Steijn made captain by Van Persie immediately after the midfielder arrived at De Kuip.
Feyenoord have also found themselves shorn of key men, including reported Arsenal and Bayern Munich right-back target Givairo Read and Canada winger Cyle Larin.
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Feyenoord have failed to score in three of their four Europa League matches this season. Only in 1991-92 (Cup Winners' Cup), 2008-09 (Uefa Cup) and 2020-21 (Europa League) have they had four goalless games in a single major European campaign.
But Celtic have kept just one clean sheet in their last 22 Europa League matches, conceding at least twice in 15 of their last 19 games.
An interesting recipe.
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
What minute do we have for the first co-commentator to say 'what a player he was, by the way' in relation to this guy tonight?
Maybe we've already missed it.
Image source, Getty ImagesFeyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, Getty ImagesAs a player, Feyenoord boss Robin van Persie's left foot produced the kind of spellbinding magic that could rival any of his peers as he danced through a career that left a mark on Arsenal and Manchester United.
And that is not to mention a glittering international career that so very nearly reached the greatest pinnacle in football when he and his Dutch team-mates lost out to the greatest Spanish side of all time in the 2010 World Cup final.
Van Persie was a special player. As a manager, the jury is out as his Feyenoord team welcome Celtic to Rotterdam for a crucial Europa League encounter.
The 42-year-old was placed in charge of a club he bookended his playing career at in February following the dismissal of Arne Slot's replacement Brian Priske.
And despite an immediate upturn in fortunes, things have been shaky in recent weeks.
He comes into this one under pressure having lost each of his past three matches and four of his past five, including their latest Europa League loss at Stuttgart that left them below Celtic in the table.
Read more: Spotlight on Van Persie as Celtic visit Feyenoord
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
In all European competitions, Celtic are winless in their last five visits to the Netherlands (D1 L4) since a 3-1 win at Ajax in August 2001 in a UEFA Champions League qualifier.
Guess who that was under?
Image source, SNSFeyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Martin O'Neill said there was no update regarding a new Celtic manager being appointed but expects tonight's match to be the end of his interim spell.
He will, obviously, be desperate to end his time with a win.
Martin O'Neill expects Feyenoord tie to be his final Celtic match
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
This is the third European campaign Feyenoord have faced Celtic in.
The Dutch side won 2-1 in the 1970 European Cup final in Milan, while both sides enjoyed home wins in the 2023-24 Champions League group stage (2-0 Feyenoord, 2-1 Celtic).
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
There are three changes to the Celtic side that started Saturday's late win at St Mirren.
There's a switch at right-back, with young Colby Donovan replacing Anthony Ralston.
Yang Hyun-Jun and Luke McCowan start in the wide attacking positions, with Sebastian Tounekti and Johnny Kenny dropping to the bench.
Kelechi Iheanacho, who has missed the past six matches through injury, is back in the squad. There's no Marcelo Saracchi, though.
Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand and Cameron Carter-Vickers are long-term absentees.
Image source, SNSSaturday's match-winner, captain Callum McGregor, continues in the Celtic midfield
Image source, SNSThree games. Three commentaries.
It's a busy one for the Sportsound team tonight. They have already started building up, which you can listen to on this page or on BBC Radio Scotland Extra.
Celtic are first up, then you can take your pick between Rangers and Aberdeen.
Spoiled rotten.
Feyenoord v Celtic (17:45)
Feyenoord: Wellenreuther, Lotomba, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal, Valente, Steijn, Targhalline, Moussa, Ueda, Sauer.
Substitutes: Bijlow, Bossin, Nieuwkoop, Timber, Borges, Tengstedt, Diarra, Sliti, Plug, Ouarghi, Kraaijeveld, Van Persie.
Celtic: Schmeichel, Donovan, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Yang, McCowan, Maeda.
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Doohan, Nygren, Balikwisha, Iheanacho, Tounekti, Kenny, Bernardo, Murray, Ralston, Hale, Isiguzo.
Image source, SNSCan we get a positive night for Scottish football in Europe?
Rangers and Celtic are staring at Europa League elimination and badly need points, as do Aberdeen in their Conference League campaign.
Wins shouldn't be beyond the Premiership trio tonight.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 12 |
| |
2 Midtjylland | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
|
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| |
4 Freiburg | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
|
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
| |
6 Ferencváros | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
|
7 Sporting Braga | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 10 |
|
8 Porto | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
|
9 Genk | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
|
10 Celta Vigo | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 9 |
|
| 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 9 |
| |
12 Stuttgart | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
|
13 Viktoria Plzeň | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
|
14 Panathinaikos | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
|
| 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| |
17 PAOK | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 8 |
|
18 Bologna | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
|
19 Brann | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
|
20 Fenerbahçe | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
|
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 7 |
| |
22 Red Star Belgrade | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 7 |
|
23 Dinamo Zagreb | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 7 |
|
24 Basel | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
|
25 Ludogorets Razgrad | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 6 |
|
26 Young Boys | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 6 |
|
27 Go Ahead Eagles | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 6 |
|
28 Sturm Graz | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 4 |
|
29 Red Bull Salzburg | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 3 |
|
30 Feyenoord | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 3 |
|
31 FCSB | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 3 |
|
32 Utrecht | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 1 |
|
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 1 |
| |
34 Malmö FF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 1 |
|
35 Maccabi Tel Aviv | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 14 | -13 | 1 |
|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 12 | -8 | 0 |
|
