🎙️ “THAT performance… THAT mentality — this is what Celtic nights are built on.” Martin O’Neill delivers a powerful post-match verdict after Celtic’s 4–2 European triumph

Martin O’Neill stood just off the tunnel at Paradise, the noise still bouncing around Celtic Park, and for a moment he simply smiled. He’d seen plenty of famous European nights here before — but this one, he admitted, felt special. After Celtic’s thrilling 4–2 victory over FC Utrecht secured passage into the Europa League play-off round, the former Hoops boss was in no doubt about what — and who — made it possible.

“People will look at the scoreline and think it was comfortable,” O’Neill began, shaking his head. “It wasn’t. It was won by mentality, bravery, and one or two players deciding they were going to take the game by the scruff of the neck.”

Front and centre of his praise was Arne Engels, the midfielder who not only converted a nerveless early penalty but dictated the tempo on a night when Celtic needed composure as much as energy.

“Engels was absolutely immense,” O’Neill said firmly. “That’s a player who understands responsibility. In a European game like this, when you’re 2–0 up early, the easy thing is to play safe. He didn’t. He demanded the ball, he slowed it down when needed, and he accelerated the game when Utrecht started to believe.”

O’Neill went further, describing Engels’ performance as “one of those nights that changes how supporters see a player forever.”

But it wasn’t just the midfield that caught his eye. The former Celtic manager reserved glowing praise for Auston Trusty, whose second-half goal arrived at a critical moment just as Utrecht threatened to turn the contest on its head.

“That goal was massive,” O’Neill stressed. “People underestimate how hard it is for a defender to step up in those moments. That’s not just a header or a finish — that’s courage. Trusty sensed the danger, sensed the shift in momentum, and he stopped it dead.”

O’Neill also highlighted the role of Benjamin Nygren, whose early goal set the tone inside a raucous Paradise.

“Nygren ignited the stadium,” he said. “That’s what wide players are supposed to do in Europe — excite the crowd, stretch the opposition, make defenders panic. He did all of that in the first 10 minutes.”

As the interview went on, O’Neill repeatedly returned to the collective belief within the current Celtic side — something he believes is once again visible from the stands.

“You could feel it tonight,” he said. “The crowd believed, the players believed, and that’s when Celtic Park becomes a different place. Opposition teams don’t just play against 11 players here — they play against history.”

Asked whether this victory reminded him of his own European nights in charge, O’Neill paused before answering.

“I don’t like comparisons,” he said with a grin. “But I’ll say this — the courage, the tempo, the refusal to panic — those are non-negotiables at Celtic. And tonight, this team showed they understand that.”

He concluded with a message that immediately lit up social media among the Celtic faithful.

“If this group keeps playing with that bravery, nobody will enjoy coming here,” O’Neill warned. “Not in the play-offs. Not anywhere in Europe.”

As the floodlights dimmed and supporters poured out into the Glasgow night, one thing felt clear: this wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. And if Martin O’Neill’s words are anything to go by, Celtic might just be reminding Europe what Paradise under the lights really means.