Martin O’Neill handed major Celtic warning following latest Europa League setback

Neil Lennon has expressed concern over the club’s alarming decline in Europe following Thursday night’s 2-1 Europa League defeat to Celta Vigo.

Martin O’Neill’s side suffered their third consecutive defeat in the competition, leaving the Hoops without a point and facing an uphill battle to reach the knockout stages.

The result came just days after Celtic’s emphatic 7-1 victory over Hearts, highlighting the stark contrast between their domestic performances and struggles on the European stage.

And Lennon believes O’Neill faces a significant challenge in restoring confidence among both his players and the Celtic support.

Speaking to Sky Sports Scotland, Lennon said: “I mean it’s two steps forward and one back.

“You’re thinking after last week, you know they’d be buoyed for that [Hearts] performance and result, and then the you know they gave away the game in the second half against Celta Vigo they were poor.

“The last 20 minutes of the game they lacked belief and any real energy or quality.”

Celtic have now suffered seven Europa League defeats in the space of a year, with their latest setback raising further questions about the club’s ability to compete at continental level.

Lennon also pointed to the dramatic downturn in Celtic’s European fortunes, insisting O’Neill must address the growing frustration among supporters.

He continued: “They were 4-0 up against LASK with an hour to go and now they can’t win the game in the Europa League.

“You know, it’s been a big fall off, and Martin’s got a job on his hands to obviously bring back confidence not only in the players but in the support as well because they’re losing faith in this competition.”