2017–18 Celtic F.C. season
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| 2017–18 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Ian Bankier | |||
| Manager | Brendan Rodgers | |||
| Stadium | Celtic Park | |||
| Scottish Premiership | 1st | |||
| League Cup | Winners | |||
| Scottish Cup | Winners | |||
| Champions League | Group stage | |||
| Europa League | Round of 32 | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Scott Sinclair (10) All: Scott Sinclair (18) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 59,259 Celtic 2–2 Hibernian (30 September 2017) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 53,883 Celtic 3–1 Hamilton Academical (13 December 2017) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 57,562 | |||
| | ||||
The 2017–18 season was the 124th season of competitive football by Celtic. They competed in the Scottish Premiership, League Cup, Scottish Cup, Champions League and Europa League. Celtic won all three domestic tournaments, completing a double treble.
Background[edit]
The previous season saw Celtic win the domestic treble, remaining undefeated domestically, recording only four draws in the Scottish Premiership. The squad reported back for pre-season training on 19 June, following a short break after the Scottish Cup Final on 27 May.[1] Celtic assistant manager Chris Davies commented:
"It's a little bit different in England where you can have six or seven, or sometimes even eight weeks away. Some players have had the three weeks' rest after the cup final while others have had 10 days and some possibly even less. So we've managed that in terms of physical conditioning to make sure that they are in the best place possible. But we have noticed straight away that they've come back in really good condition and that is linked to not having such a long break. So we're happy with that, they are nice and fresh and have great enthusiasm and energy for the new season, so that's all good."[2]
On 2 July 2017, Celtic announced that Scott Brown would receive a testimonial for ten years of service to the club.[3]
Pre-season and friendlies[edit]
Celtic preceded the 2017–18 campaign with a pre-season tour of Austria, with matches against Blau-Weiß Linz and Rapid Wien.[4] The Hoops then travelled to the Czech Republic to face Slavia Prague,[5] which was followed by a trip to Ireland to play Shamrock Rovers.[6] The pre-season schedule also included games against Lyon[7] and Sunderland.[8] Celtic recorded their first pre-season victory against Blau-Weiß Linz. Brendan Rodgers fielded a different team in each half, with a cameo appearance from his son, Anton, during the second period.[9] The match played out in typical pre-season fashion, until James Forrest scored a late winner.[10] Celtic's next opponents – Rapid Vienna of the Austrian Bundesliga – marked a step up in quality. Rapid took the lead on the stroke of half time, but this was later cancelled out by a Moussa Dembélé penalty, which earned Celtic a 1–1 draw. Following the match, Brendan Rodgers expressed his dissatisfaction with the first half performance, but praised the second half display and the progress made so far in pre-season.[11] Celtic continued their preparations for the new season with a game against Slavia Prague. The match ended goalless, with Dedryck Boyata forced off through injury at the end of the first half. The Celtic manager was pleased with his team's efforts, commenting that the Czech champions provided an excellent test in the build-up to the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.[12] Shamrock Rovers provided the opposition in Celtic's final match before the competitive action resumed. The Bhoys strolled to a 9–0 victory, with seven players on the scoresheet, including a first goal for Jonny Hayes. Brendan Rodgers was again delighted with the level of performance produced by his players.[13] The day after Celtic's first European qualifier, a much-changed side was soundly beaten 4–0 by Lyon of Ligue 1. Celtic finished the match with nine academy players on the pitch.[14] The Hoops rounded off pre-season with a game against Sunderland, recently relegated from the Premier League. As both clubs share Dafabet as their main sponsor, a one-off trophy was on offer for the winner. Celtic comfortably defeated the Championship side 5–0, with Callum McGregor scoring a hat-trick. Brendan Rodgers praised the large travelling support of 9,000 and commented that the result would boost confidence in the squad ahead of the next European qualifier.[15]
| 28 June 2017 Friendly | Blau-Weiß Linz  | 0 – 1 |  Celtic | Rohrbach, Austria |
| Celtic Report | Forrest  84' | Stadium: Sportanlage Rohrbach-Berg Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria) |
| 1 July 2017 Friendly | Rapid Wien | 1 – 1 | Celtic | Amstetten, Austria |
| Joelinton 45' (pen.) | Celtic Report | Dembélé 73' (pen.) | Stadium: Ertl Glas Stadion Referee: Markus Hameter (Austria) |
| 4 July 2017 Friendly | Slavia Prague  | 0 – 0 | Celtic | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Celtic Report | Stadium: Eden Arena Attendance: 10,231[16] Referee: Karel Hrubeš (Czech Republic) |
| 8 July 2017 Friendly | Shamrock Rovers  | 0 – 9 | Celtic | Tallaght, Ireland |
| Celtic Report | Lustig 10' Armstrong 23', 69'Dembélé 28'Sinclair 41', 66'Forrest 61'Hayes 81'Rogic 86' | Stadium: Tallaght Stadium |
| 15 July 2017 Friendly | Celtic | 0 – 4 |  Lyon | Glasgow |
| Celtic Report | Cornet 52' Maolida 61'Fekir 78'Gouiri 87' | Stadium: Celtic Park Referee: Bobby Madden (Scotland) |
| 29 July 2017 Dafabet Cup | Sunderland  | 0 – 5 | Celtic | Sunderland, England |
| Celtic Report | McGregor 5', 15', 58' (pen.) Hayes 38'Armstrong 70' | Stadium: Stadium of Light Referee: Tony Harrington (England) |
Scottish Premiership[edit]
The Scottish Premiership fixture list was announced on 23 June 2017.[17] Celtic began the defence of their title with a 4–1 victory against Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park.[18] On 4 November, Celtic broke their own British record for the number of games without defeat in all domestic competitions, a record set by Willie Maley's team that stood for 100 years.[19] However, the unbeaten run ended at 69 games, following a 4–0 defeat to Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle Park on 17 December.[20] On 29 April 2018, Celtic won their seventh consecutive title and 49th overall after a 5–0 win against Rangers.[21]
| 5 August 2017 Matchday 1 | Celtic | 4 – 1 | Heart of Midlothian | Glasgow |
| Griffiths 29', 63' Sinclair 51'McGregor 73' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Gonçalves 84' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,843 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 11 August 2017 Matchday 2 | Partick Thistle | 0 – 1 | Celtic | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Ntcham 25' | Stadium: Firhill Stadium Attendance: 8,041 Referee: Andrew Dallas |
| 19 August 2017 Matchday 3 | Kilmarnock | 0 – 2 | Celtic | Kilmarnock |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Forrest 40' McGregor 88' | Stadium: Rugby Park Attendance: 10,069 Referee: Nick Walsh |
| 26 August 2017 Matchday 4 | Celtic | 1 – 1 | St Johnstone | Glasgow |
| McGregor 79' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | MacLean 39' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,446 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 8 September 2017 Matchday 5 | Hamilton Academical | 1 – 4 | Celtic | Hamilton |
| Gogić 86' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Armstrong 17' Sinclair 29', 42'Édouard 65' | Stadium: New Douglas Park Attendance: 5,208 Referee: Don Robertson |
| 16 September 2017 Matchday 6 | Celtic | 4 – 0 | Ross County | Glasgow |
| Rogic 13' Dembélé 42'Forrest 52', 74' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,624 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 23 September 2017 Matchday 7 | Rangers | 0 – 2 | Celtic | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Rogic 50' Griffiths 65' | Stadium: Ibrox Stadium Attendance: 50,116 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 30 September 2017 Matchday 8 | Celtic | 2 – 2 | Hibernian | Glasgow |
| McGregor 15', 80' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | McGinn 53', 77' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 59,259 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 14 October 2017 Matchday 9 | Celtic | 1 – 0 | Dundee | Glasgow |
| Ntcham 61' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 57,610 Referee: Andrew Dallas |
| 25 October 2017 Matchday 11 | Aberdeen | 0 – 3 | Celtic | Aberdeen |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Tierney 13' Dembélé 39', 63' | Stadium: Pittodrie Stadium Attendance: 20,528 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 28 October 2017 Matchday 12 | Celtic | 1 – 1 | Kilmarnock | Glasgow |
| Griffiths 43' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Jones 60' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,060 Referee: Nick Walsh |
| 4 November 2017 Matchday 13 | St Johnstone | 0 – 4 | Celtic | Perth |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Sinclair 28' Dembélé 72'Anderson 75' (o.g.)Ntcham 89' | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 6,800 Referee: Bobby Madden |
| 18 November 2017 Matchday 14 | Ross County | 0 – 1 | Celtic | Dingwall |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Griffiths 78' | Stadium: Victoria Park Attendance: 6,590 Referee: Nick Walsh |
| 29 November 2017 Matchday 10 | Motherwell | 1 – 1 | Celtic | Motherwell |
| Lustig 78' (o.g.) | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Sinclair 88' (pen.) | Stadium: Fir Park Attendance: 9,164 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 2 December 2017 Matchday 16 | Celtic | 5 – 1 | Motherwell | Glasgow |
| Édouard 16', 33', 85' Forrest 76', 88' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Frear 65' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 57,817 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 10 December 2017 Matchday 17 | Hibernian | 2 – 2 | Celtic | Edinburgh |
| Ambrose 76' Shaw 79' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Sinclair 59', 64' | Stadium: Easter Road Attendance: 20,193 Referee: John Beaton |
| 13 December 2017 Matchday 18 | Celtic | 3 – 1 | Hamilton Academical | Glasgow |
| Ntcham 12' Forrest 40'Sinclair 41' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Redmond 29' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 53,883 Referee: Stephen Finnie |
| 17 December 2017 Matchday 19 | Heart of Midlothian | 4 – 0 | Celtic | Edinburgh |
| Cochrane 26' Lafferty 35'Milinković 48', 76' (pen.) | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Tynecastle Park Attendance: 18,555 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 20 December 2017 Matchday 15 | Celtic | 2 – 0 | Partick Thistle | Glasgow |
| Armstrong 35' Tierney 67' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 54,187 Referee: Alan Muir |
| 23 December 2017 Matchday 20 | Celtic | 3 – 0 | Aberdeen | Glasgow |
| Lustig 40' Hayes 69'Ntcham 76' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,975 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 26 December 2017 Matchday 21 | Dundee | 0 – 2 | Celtic | Dundee |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Forrest 8' Griffiths 43' | Stadium: Dens Park Attendance: 9,193 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 30 December 2017 Matchday 22 | Celtic | 0 – 0 | Rangers | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 59,004 Referee: Bobby Madden |
| 23 January 2018 Matchday 23 | Partick Thistle | 1 – 2 | Celtic | Glasgow |
| Sammon 34' (pen.) | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Sinclair 55' (pen.) Griffiths 70' | Stadium: Firhill Stadium Attendance: 6,920 Referee: John Beaton |
| 27 January 2018 Matchday 24 | Celtic | 1 – 0 | Hibernian | Glasgow |
| Griffiths 27' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,998 Referee: Bobby Madden |
| 30 January 2018 Matchday 25 | Celtic | 3 – 1 | Heart of Midlothian | Glasgow |
| Édouard 3' Boyata 25'Dembélé 36' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Lafferty 67' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 56,296 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 3 February 2018 Matchday 26 | Kilmarnock | 1 – 0 | Celtic | Kilmarnock |
| Mulumbu 70' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Rugby Park Attendance: 10,702 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 18 February 2018 Matchday 27 | Celtic | 0 – 0 | St Johnstone | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 56,867 Referee: John Beaton |
| 25 February 2018 Matchday 28 | Aberdeen | 0 – 2 | Celtic | Aberdeen |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Dembélé 37' Tierney 83' | Stadium: Pittodrie Stadium Attendance: 17,206 Referee: Bobby Madden |
| 11 March 2018 Matchday 30 | Rangers | 2 – 3 | Celtic | Glasgow |
| Windass 3' Candeias 26' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Rogic 11' Dembélé 45+1'Édouard 69' | Stadium: Ibrox Stadium Attendance: 50,215 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 18 March 2018 Matchday 31 | Motherwell | 0 – 0 | Celtic | Motherwell |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Fir Park Attendance: 8,717 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 31 March 2018 Matchday 32 | Celtic | 3 – 0 | Ross County | Glasgow |
| Dembélé 25' (pen.) Armstrong 48'Rogic 60' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,765 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 4 April 2018 Matchday 29 | Celtic | 0 – 0 | Dundee | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 55,768 Referee: Alan Muir |
| 8 April 2018 Matchday 33 | Hamilton Academical | 1 – 2 | Celtic | Hamilton |
| Bingham 18' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | McGregor 3' Griffiths 46' | Stadium: New Douglas Park Attendance: 4,851 Referee: Andrew Dallas |
| 21 April 2018 Matchday 34 | Hibernian | 2 – 1 | Celtic | Edinburgh |
| Maclaren 24' Slivka 80' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Édouard 87' | Stadium: Easter Road Attendance: 19,886 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 29 April 2018 Matchday 35 | Celtic | 5 – 0 | Rangers | Glasgow |
| Édouard 14', 41' Forrest 45'Rogic 47'McGregor 53' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,320 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 6 May 2018 Matchday 36 | Heart of Midlothian | 1 – 3 | Celtic | Edinburgh |
| Lafferty 18' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Boyata 21' Dembélé 51'Sinclair 90+4' | Stadium: Tynecastle Park Attendance: 19,031 Referee: Bobby Madden |
| 9 May 2018 Matchday 37 | Celtic | 0 – 0 | Kilmarnock | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 54,916 Referee: John Beaton |
| 13 May 2018 Matchday 38 | Celtic | 0 – 1 | Aberdeen | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Considine 47' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 59,048 Referee: Craig Thomson |
Scottish League Cup[edit]
On 30 July, Celtic were drawn to face Kilmarnock at Celtic Park in the second round of the 2017–18 Scottish League Cup.[22] Captained by Kieran Tierney for the first time, in the absence of the suspended Scott Brown, Celtic won 5–0 to secure a berth in the quarter-finals.[23] On 9 August, Celtic were drawn to face Dundee at Dens Park in the quarter-finals.[24] The Bhoys continued their defence of the trophy, running out 4–0 winners with a double from James Forrest and goals from Scott Sinclair and Callum McGregor securing a return to Hampden Park for the semi-finals.[25] On 21 September, Celtic were drawn to face Hibernian in the semi-finals.[26] A keenly fought contest ended in a 4–2 victory for Celtic with Mikael Lustig and Moussa Dembélé both netting twice to seal Celtic's place in the final. On 26 November, Celtic retained the Scottish League Cup by defeating Motherwell 2–0. This was the 17th League Cup triumph in the club's history and the fourth trophy of Brendan Rodgers' reign.[27]
| 8 August 2017 Second round | Celtic | 5 – 0 | Kilmarnock | Glasgow |
| Griffiths 14' (pen.), 29' Ralston 21'Tierney 65'Armstrong 71' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 27,407 Referee: Alan Muir |
| 20 September 2017 Quarter-finals | Dundee | 0 – 4 | Celtic | Dundee |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Sinclair 25' (pen.) Forrest 42', 90+1'McGregor 88' | Stadium: Dens Park Attendance: 6,917 Referee: John Beaton |
| 21 October 2017 Semi-finals | Hibernian | 2 – 4 | Celtic | Glasgow |
| Stokes 59' (pen.) Shaw 70' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Lustig 15', 42' Dembélé 66', 88' | Stadium: Hampden Park Attendance: 39,813 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 26 November 2017 Final | Motherwell | 0 – 2 | Celtic | Glasgow |
| BBC Sport Celtic Report | Forrest 49' Dembélé 60' (pen.) | Stadium: Hampden Park Attendance: 49,483 Referee: Craig Thomson |
Scottish Cup[edit]
On 20 November, Celtic were drawn to face Brechin City at Celtic Park in the fourth round of the 2017–18 Scottish Cup.[28] Goals from James Forrest, Scott Sinclair, Olivier Ntcham, Dedryck Boyata and Odsonne Édouard secured a 5–0 victory for the cup holders.[29] On 21 January 2018, Celtic were drawn to face Partick Thistle in the fifth round.[30] A James Forrest hat-trick sealed a 3–2 win and Celtic's place in the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive season.[31] On 11 February, Celtic were drawn to face Greenock Morton in the quarter-finals.[32] Goals from Moussa Dembélé and Odsonne Édouard secured a place in the semi-finals and a return to Hampden.[33] On 4 March, Celtic were drawn to face Rangers in the semi-finals.[34] The Bhoys sealed their place in the final with Tom Rogic, Callum McGregor, Moussa Dembélé and Olivier Ntcham all on the scoresheet.[35] Celtic beat Motherwell 2–0 in the final on 19 May 2018, with goals from Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham ensuring Celtic's defence of the trophy.
| 20 January 2018 Fourth round | Celtic | 5 – 0 | Brechin City | Glasgow |
| Forrest 2' Sinclair 11'Ntcham 49'Boyata 56'Édouard 86' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 24,879 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 10 February 2018 Fifth round | Celtic | 3 – 2 | Partick Thistle | Glasgow |
| Forrest 3', 10', 54' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Doolan 20' Sammon 84' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 24,191 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 3 March 2018 Quarter-finals | Celtic | 3 – 0 | Greenock Morton | Glasgow |
| Dembélé 62', 71' (pen.) Édouard 90' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 18,255 Referee: John Beaton |
| 15 April 2018 Semi-finals | Celtic | 4 – 0 | Rangers | Glasgow |
| Rogic 22' McGregor 38'Dembélé 52' (pen.)Ntcham 78' (pen.) | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Hampden Park Attendance: 49,729 Referee: Bobby Madden |
| 19 May 2018 Final | Celtic | 2 – 0 | Motherwell | Glasgow |
| McGregor 11' Ntcham 25' | BBC Sport Celtic Report | Stadium: Hampden Park Attendance: 49,967 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
Europe[edit]
UEFA Champions League[edit]
Second qualifying round[edit]
On 19 June, Celtic were drawn to face Linfield (Northern Ireland) or La Fiorita (San Marino) in the Second Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League.[36] On 4 July, it was determined that Linfield would be Celtic's opponents, having defeated La Fiorita 1–0 on aggregate. The first leg took place at Windsor Park on 14 July, two days after The Twelfth. Celtic refused its ticket allocation due to concerns for supporter safety.[37] Linfield later reiterated this, announcing that Celtic supporters would not be allowed to purchase tickets for the match.[38] However, on the day of the match, the Northern Irish champions announced that away fans who had purchased tickets for the home end would be given their own section in the stadium.[39] Celtic recorded a 2–0 victory in the first leg. The match did not pass without incident, as several objects were thrown towards Celtic players during the second half. Leigh Griffiths was controversially booked for simply drawing this to the referee's attention.[40] Griffiths was later suspended by UEFA for one match, for tying a scarf to the goalpost after the game, which was deemed to have provoked a section of the home crowd.[41] Celtic won 4–0 in the second leg, securing a place in the next round and a tie against Rosenborg.[41] The club was again charged by UEFA for several offences, including illicit banners being displayed by the Green Brigade section of the home support.[42] Celtic subsequently condemned the banners and suspended the group for the next two matches at Celtic Park.[43]
| 14 July 2017 1st leg | Linfield  | 0 – 2 | Celtic | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Report | Haughey 17' (o.g.) Rogic 23' | Stadium: Windsor Park Referee: Alejandro Hernandez (Spain) |
| 19 July 2017 2nd leg | Celtic | 4 – 0 (6 – 0 agg.) | Linfield | Glasgow |
| Sinclair 4', 54' Rogic 48'Armstrong 90+3' | Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,075 Referee: Stephan Klossner (Switzerland) |
Third qualifying round[edit]
On 19 July, it was determined that Celtic would face Rosenborg (Norway) in the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League.[44] The Norwegian champions overcame Dundalk to set up their first meeting with the Scottish champions since the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League group stage. In October 2001, an Alan Thompson free-kick secured a 1–0 victory for Celtic in Glasgow. Later that month, Martin O'Neill's team succumbed to a 2–0 defeat in Trondheim, with former Celtic player Harald Brattbakk scoring both goals. Brendan Rodgers' side were forced to play without a recognised striker in the first leg, which finished goalless. Injuries to Moussa Dembélé and Leigh Griffiths – the latter was also suspended – meant that Tom Rogic was tasked with deputising in a False 9 role. The return leg saw James Forrest start in the same position and score the deciding goal to seal Celtic's place in the next round. The result secured European football for the club until the end of the year.
| 26 July 2017 1st leg | Celtic | 0 – 0 |  Rosenborg | Glasgow |
| Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 49,172 Referee: Tiago Martins (Portugal) |
| 2 August 2017 2nd leg | Rosenborg | 0 – 1 (0 – 1 agg.) | Celtic | Trondheim, Norway |
| Report | Forrest 69' | Stadium: Lerkendal Stadion Referee: Jonathan Lardot (Belgium) |
Play-off round[edit]
On 4 August, Celtic were drawn to face Astana (Kazakhstan) in the Play-Off Round of the UEFA Champions League.[45] The sides met one round earlier in the previous season's competition, with the Scottish champions recording a 3–2 victory on aggregate. Celtic cruised to a 5–0 victory in the first leg, with two own goals bookending a double from Scott Sinclair and a goal from James Forrest. Nir Bitton deputised at centre half – injuries ruled Dedryck Boyata and Erik Sviatchenko out of the tie – and was singled out for praise by Brendan Rodgers in the aftermath.[46] The second leg saw Celtic record their first loss in all competitions since November 2016, when they were defeated by Barcelona at Celtic Park. Although the Hoops lost 4–3 on the night, goals from Scott Sinclair, Olivier Ntcham and Leigh Griffiths ensured Celtic's place amongst Europe's elite for the second consecutive season. In addition, Celtic's 8–4 aggregate win became the highest-scoring tie in UEFA Champions League play-off history.[47]
| 16 August 2017 1st leg | Celtic | 5 – 0 |  Astana | Glasgow |
| Postnikov 32' (o.g.) Sinclair 42', 60'Forrest 79'Shitov 88' (o.g.) | Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 54,016 Referee: Ovidiu Hațegan (Romania) |
| 22 August 2017 2nd leg | Astana | 4 – 3 (4 – 8 agg.) | Celtic | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| Ajer 26' (o.g.) Muzhikov 48'Twumasi 49', 69' | Report | Sinclair 34' Ntcham 80'Griffiths 90' | Stadium: Astana Arena Attendance: 19,075 Referee: Pavel Královec (Czech Republic) |
Group stage[edit]
On 24 August, the draw for the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League group stage was made. Celtic were drawn in Group B along with Bayern Munich (Pot 1), Paris Saint-Germain (Pot 2) and Anderlecht (Pot 3).[48] Celtic last met the German and Belgian champions in the 2003–04 season, and have not faced the Ligue 1 side since 1995. Paris Saint-Germain inflicted Celtic's heaviest ever home defeat in European competition on Matchday 1, with goals from the most expensive forward line in history: Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani. Following the match, Brendan Rodgers suggested his team played like under-12s in the early stages of the game.[49] Celtic did however respond on Matchday 2 in Brussels, recording a priceless victory over Anderlecht. Leigh Griffiths, Patrick Roberts and Scott Sinclair were on the scoresheet as the club secured its second away victory in Champions League history, and its first away victory since 2012, when Celtic defeated Spartak Moscow. Despite a valiant display against Bayern Munich at Celtic Park and scoring the first goal against Paris Saint-Germain in European competition that season, Celtic lost all four remaining games in the group, but did parachute into the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League knockout phase after finishing with a better head-to-head record against Anderlecht.[50]
Group B[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | PAR | BAY | CEL | AND | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Paris Saint-Germain | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 4 | +21 | 15[a] | Advance to knockout phase | — | 3–0 | 7–1 | 5–0 | |
| 2 |  Bayern Munich | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 15[a] | 3–1 | — | 3–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 3 | Celtic | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 18 | −13 | 3[b] | Transfer to Europa League | 0–5 | 1–2 | — | 0–1 | |
| 4 |  Anderlecht | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 17 | −15 | 3[b] | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–3 | — |
Matches[edit]
| 12 September 2017 Matchday 1 | Celtic | 0 – 5 | Paris Saint-Germain | Glasgow |
| Report | Neymar 19' Mbappé 34'Cavani 40' (pen.), 85'Lustig 83' (o.g.) | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 57,562 Referee: Daniele Orsato (Italy) |
| 27 September 2017 Matchday 2 | Anderlecht | 0 – 3 | Celtic | Brussels, Belgium |
| Report | Griffiths 38' Roberts 50'Sinclair 90+3' | Stadium: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium Attendance: 19,898 Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain) |
| 18 October 2017 Matchday 3 | Bayern Munich | 3 – 0 | Celtic | Munich, Germany |
| Müller 17' Kimmich 29'Hummels 51' | Report | Stadium: Allianz Arena Attendance: 70,000 Referee: Sergei Karasev (Russia) |
| 31 October 2017 Matchday 4 | Celtic | 1 – 2 | Bayern Munich | Glasgow |
| McGregor 74' | Report | Coman 22' Martínez 77' | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 58,269 Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands) |
| 22 November 2017 Matchday 5 | Paris Saint-Germain | 7 – 1 | Celtic | Paris, France |
| Neymar 9', 22' Cavani 28', 79'Mbappé 35'Verratti 75'Alves 80' | Report | Dembélé 1' | Stadium: Parc des Princes Attendance: 46,288 Referee: Anastasios Sidiropoulos (Greece) |
| 5 December 2017 Matchday 6 | Celtic | 0 – 1 | Anderlecht | Glasgow |
| Report | Šimunović 62' (o.g.) | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 57,931 Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia) |
UEFA Europa League[edit]
On 11 December, Celtic were drawn to face Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Last 32 of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League.[51] Callum McGregor's strike gave Celtic a narrow first-leg advantage,[52] however, a 3–0 defeat in Saint Petersburg brought the Bhoys' involvement in European competition to an end for the 2017–18 season.[53]
Round of 32[edit]
| 15 February 2018 1st leg | Celtic | 1 – 0 |  Zenit Saint Petersburg | Glasgow |
| McGregor 78' | Report | Stadium: Celtic Park Attendance: 56,743 Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia) |
| 22 February 2018 2nd leg | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 3 – 0 (3 – 1 agg.) | Celtic | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Ivanović 8' Kuzyayev 27'Kokorin 61' | Report | Stadium: Krestovsky Stadium Attendance: 50,492 Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) |
Statistics[edit]
Appearances and goals[edit]
- As of 19 May 2018
| No. | Pos | Player | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Champions League | Europa League | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| Goalkeepers | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | Craig Gordon | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 24 | GK |  Dorus de Vries | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 29 | GK | Scott Bain | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Defenders | |||||||||||||||
| 4 | DF | Jack Hendry | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 5 | DF |  Jozo Šimunović | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 12 | DF |  Cristian Gamboa | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 20 | DF | Dedryck Boyata | 28 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 3 | |
| 23 | DF |  Mikael Lustig | 26 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| 28 | DF |  Erik Sviatchenko | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 33 | DF | Marvin Compper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 35 | DF | Kristoffer Ajer | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| 56 | DF | Anthony Ralston | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| 59 | DF | Calvin Miller | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 63 | DF | Kieran Tierney | 32 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 55 | 4 | |
| Midfielders | |||||||||||||||
| 6 | MF |  Nir Bitton | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| 7 | MF | Patrick Roberts | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | |
| 8 | MF | Scott Brown (captain) | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 0 | |
| 11 | MF | Scott Sinclair | 35 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 18 | |
| 14 | MF | Stuart Armstrong | 27 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 5 | |
| 15 | MF | Jonny Hayes | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| 18 | MF |  Tom Rogic | 23 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 8 | |
| 21 | MF |  Olivier Ntcham | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 9 | |
| 26 | MF |  Kundai Benyu | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 42 | MF | Callum McGregor | 36 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 12 | |
| 49 | MF | James Forrest | 35 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 17 | |
| 52 | MF | Ewan Henderson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 53 | MF | Liam Henderson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 67 | MF | Charly Musonda | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 73 | MF | Mikey Johnston | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 88 | MF |  Eboue Kouassi | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Forwards | |||||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | Leigh Griffiths | 25 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 13 | |
| 10 | FW | Moussa Dembélé | 25 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 16 | |
| 22 | FW | Odsonne Édouard | 22 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 11 | |
Goalscorers[edit]
| R | No. | Pos. | Nation | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Champions League | Europa League | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | MF | | Scott Sinclair | 10 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | 49 | MF | | James Forrest | 8 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 3 | 10 | FW | | Moussa Dembélé | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| 4 | 9 | FW | | Leigh Griffiths | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| 5 | 42 | MF | | Callum McGregor | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 6 | 22 | FW | | Odsonne Édouard | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 7 | 21 | MF | | Olivier Ntcham | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 8 | 18 | MF | | Tom Rogic | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 9 | 14 | MF | | Stuart Armstrong | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | 63 | DF | | Kieran Tierney | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | 23 | DF | | Mikael Lustig | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 20 | DF | | Dedryck Boyata | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 12 | 56 | DF | | Anthony Ralston | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | | Patrick Roberts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 15 | MF | | Jonny Hayes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Own Goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 73 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 1 | 126 | ||||
Last updated: 19 May 2018
Disciplinary record[edit]
Includes all competitive matches. Players listed below made at least one appearance for Celtic first squad during the season.
| N | P | Nat. | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Champions League | Europa League | Total | Notes | ||||||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | DF | | Šimunović | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 23 | DF | | Lustig | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | MF | | Brown | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||||||
| 21 | MF | | Ntcham | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| 10 | FW | | Dembélé | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| 63 | DF | | Tierney | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 20 | DF | | Boyata | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | | Griffiths | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 35 | DF | | Ajer | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 88 | MF | | Kouassi | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | DF | | Hendry | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| 42 | MF | | McGregor | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 18 | MF | | Rogic | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | | Bitton | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | MF | | Roberts | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 14 | MF | | Armstrong | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 15 | MF | | Hayes | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 22 | FW | | Édouard | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 49 | MF | | Forrest | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 56 | DF | | Ralston | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 29 | GK | | Bain | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
Last updated: 19 May 2018
Source: Competitive matches
Only competitive matches
Ordered by , and = Number of bookings; = Number of sending offs after a second yellow card; = Number of sending offs by a direct red card.
Hat-tricks[edit]
| Player | Against | Result | Date | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odsonne Édouard | Motherwell | 5–1 (H) | 2 December 2017 | Premiership |
| James Forrest | Partick Thistle | 3–2 (H) | 10 February 2018 | Scottish Cup |
(H) – Home; (A) – Away; (N) – Neutral
Clean sheets[edit]
As of 19 May 2018.
| Rank | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Champions League | Europa League | Total | Played Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craig Gordon | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 45 |
| 2 | Dorus de Vries | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Scott Bain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| Total | 21 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 62 | |
Attendances[edit]
- As of match played 13 May 2018
| Matches | Attendances | Average | High | Low | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premiership | 19 | 1,093,686 | 57,562 | 59,259 | 53,883 |
| League Cup | 1 | 27,407 | 27,407 | 27,407 | 27,407 |
| Scottish Cup | 3 | 67,325 | 22,441 | 24,879 | 18,255 |
| Champions League | 6 | 335,025 | 55,837 | 58,269 | 49,172 |
| Europa League | 1 | 56,743 | 56,743 | 56,743 | 56,743 |
| Total | 30 | 1,580,186 | 52,672 | 59,259 | 18,255 |
Team statistics[edit]
League table[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation[a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic (C) | 38 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 73 | 25 | +48 | 82 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round[b] |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 38 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 37 | +19 | 73 | Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Rangers | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 76 | 50 | +26 | 70 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Hibernian | 38 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 62 | 46 | +16 | 67 | |
| 5 | Kilmarnock | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 59 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification and second-stage group allocation).[56]
(C) Champions
Notes:
- ^ Teams play each other three times (33 matches) before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).
- ^ Since the winners of the 2017–18 Scottish Cup, Celtic, qualified for European competition based on league position, the spot awarded to the Scottish Cup winners (Europa League second qualifying round) was passed to the second-placed team and the spot awarded to the second-placed team (Europa League first qualifying round) was passed to the fourth-placed team.
Competition Overview[edit]
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Champions League | 14 July 2017 | 5 December 2017 | 2nd round | Group stage | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 22 | −2 | 41.67 |
| Premiership | 5 August 2017 | 13 May 2018 | Matchday 1 | Winners | 38 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 73 | 25 | +48 | 63.16 |
| League Cup | 8 August 2017 | 26 November 2017 | 2nd round | Winners | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | +13 | 100.00 |
| Scottish Cup | 20 January 2018 | 19 May 2018 | 4th Round | Winners | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | +15 | 100.00 |
| Europa League | 15 February 2018 | 22 February 2018 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 50.00 |
| Total | 61 | 39 | 11 | 11 | 126 | 54 | +72 | 63.93 | ||||
Source: Competitions
Champions League: [57] Scottish Premiership: [58] Scottish League Cup: [59] Scottish Cup: [60]
Results by round[edit]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Club[edit]
Technical Staff[edit]
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2017) |
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Brendan Rodgers[61] |
| Assistant Manager | Chris Davies[62] |
| First Team Coach | John Kennedy |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Stevie Woods |
| Head of Performance | Glen Driscoll[63] |
| Technical Assistant | Kolo Touré[64] |
| Head of Recruitment | Lee Congerton[65] |
| Head Physiotherapist | Tim Williamson |
| Head of Sports Science | Jack Nayler |
| First Team Nutritionist | Rob Naughton |
Last updated: 15 September 2017
Source: [citation needed]
Kit[edit]
Supplier: New Balance / Sponsors: Dafabet (front) and Magners (back)
The club was in the third year of a deal with manufacturer New Balance.[66] The kit range for the 2017–18 season paid tribute to the Lisbon Lions; the kits had a line on each side to represent the handles of the European Cup. The kits also included a commemorative crest.[67]
         Home |     Away |      Third |     Fourth |      Goalkeeper 1 |      Goalkeeper 2 |      Goalkeeper 3 |
- Home: The home kit was designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Celtic's victory in the 1967 European Cup Final. The kit followed the traditional style, with a gold club crest.[68]
- Away: The away kit featured dark green hoops with a gold trimming. It kit was designed to reflect the Celtic away kit worn during the 1966–67 season.[69]
- Third: The third kit was cactus green and featured a black crest. The Celtic and Inter Milan teams which competed for the trophy were commemorated in the inner back neck of the jersey, where green and white hoops and black and blue stripes could be found.[70]
- Fourth: The third pink kit released for the 2016–17 season returned as a fourth kit due to a kit clash in both away matches against Hibernian.[71][72]
Transfers[edit]
In[edit]
| Pos | Player | From | Type | Window | Ends | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MF | Jonny Hayes | Aberdeen | Transfer | Summer | 2020 | £1,000,000[73] |
| MF | Kundai Benyu |