After Munich, Celtic in £40.3 million Champions League folly

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·13 February 2026

After Munich, Celtic in £40.3 million Champions League folly

Celtic generated just over £40 million from their progression to the Champions League knockout playoffs during the 2024/25 campaign, it has been revealed…

UEFA Champions League branded microphones are seen on a desk prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

However, the Scottish champions were unable to replicate that feat this term, falling at the qualifying play-off hurdle to Kazakhstani outfit Kairat Almaty despite a significant disparity in resources.

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Although the Hoops remain involved in continental competition and are preparing for a Europa League knockout playoff encounter with VfB Stuttgart next Thursday, participation in Europe’s elite tournament remains the ultimate objective.

Nicolas Kuhn scores during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Last season’s run is still viewed as a major achievement, with Celtic pushing Bayern Munich close in the knockout rounds before exiting in dramatic fashion following Alphonso Davies’ heartbreaking equaliser in the Allianz Arena last February.

UEFA’s latest financial report has now detailed the prize money distributed to competing clubs.

18 02 2025, UEFA Champions League 2024 2025 Play off second leg, FC Bayern Munich Celtic Glasgow, at the Allianz Arena Munich Coach Brendan Rodgers Celtic Glasgow on the sidelines. Photo IMAGO.

Under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers (lest we forget) Celtic received £16.2 million for reaching the league phase, along with £7.6 million for advancing to the knockout stage. A further £11.8 million was awarded through the value pillar, which reflects individual club coefficient rankings.

An additional £4.7 million was secured based on their final league position, taking the overall sum earned to approximately £40.3 million.

Shin Yamada & Hayato Inamura of Celtic step off the team bus at Celtic Park. Celtic v Livingston, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 23 August 2025. Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

After reaching these heights rather than back the manager Celtic forced Paul Tisdale project signings such as Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada on the manager while selling Nicolas Kuhn and failing to replace Kyogo for an entire calendar year. They then forced Rodgers out for his outspoken (but entirely reasonable) comments about the need for Celtic to recruit to compete in the Champions League.

They then replaced him with a French PE teacher while playing Johnny Kenny as the Celtic centre forward while banning The Celtic Star for nothing at all.

Merchandise for sale outside the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

In other news, Champions League winner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has reflected on his dream debut at Paradise on Wednesday night. He said: “Those are the moments you dream of, playing at places like this and being able to impact the game, help the team, and create moments like that. More importantly, it helped us get the win.”

“I was watching the game and saw some of the spaces that were opening up in and around the box, especially when we had the ball out wide and were able to cross. I was looking at areas where I could get into.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal to make it 2-1 to Celtic. 11.02.2026 Celtic v Livingston, Scottish Premiership. Photo Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO/ News Licensing

“The coaching staff and the manager gave me a lot of confidence. When you come on, that is your job, to make an impact, especially in a game where it is 1-1 and you want to go and score the winner.”

The Englishman added: “Luckily, tonight, that moment fell to me, and I could help. The other night, it fell to Junior [Adamu], and he did the same thing. It is a great characteristic for a team to be able to do that right until the end.”

11.02.2026 Celtic v Livingston, Scottish Premiership. Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain celebrates after scoring the late winner at Celtic Park. Photo: Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO / News Licensing

“Throughout my career, the teams where we have done well, those are the things that we had to fall back on at times when it was not going so well.”

Don’t miss Sandman’s take on Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain’s sensational Celtic debut in his Definitive Ratings from the vital 2-1 win over Livingston which you can read HERE.

Meanwhile The Celtic Star this morning posted our exclusive interview with former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan who gives his thoughts on the title race and looks back to Celtic coming from behind to win the title in dramatic circumstances back in 2008. A lesson or two for the current Celtic side in all of this.

Scott McDonald of Celtic celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead on April 27, 2008. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

WGS also names his top three signings for Celtic and while one is abundantly obvious I bet you can’t guess who the other two are! No cheating!

Gordon Strachan the coach of Celtic during the Celtic Training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League second leg of the First knockout round match between Barcelona and Celtic at the Camp Nou stadium on March 3, 2008, in Barcelona,Spain. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

You can read our exclusive interview with Gordon Strachan HERE…

Georgios Samaras and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink of Celtic celebrate victory at the final whistle during the Premier League match between Dundee United and Celtic at Tannadice on May 22, 2008. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Exclusive Interview – Gordon Strachan talks to The Celtic Star

Gordon Strachan, manager of Celtic, and Walter Smith, manager of Rangers, look on during the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead on April 27, 2008. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Read The Celtic Star’s Exclusive Interview with former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan on how Celtic ‘clawed back’ title in 2008 and lessons for this season’s title chase. He names his three best signings for Celtic, one is a given but the other two might surprise you! And much more too.

Majic, Stan and the King of Japan by Matt Corr.. Click in image to order your signed copy for only £10 plus P&P

Get your copy of Majic, Stan and the King of Japan – The Story of Gordon Strachan’s first season as Celtic manager from Celtic Star Books for only £10 plus P&P and your book will be personally signed by the author Matt Corr…

Majic, Stan & The King of Japan available for only £10 plus P&P on Celticstarbooks.com/shop