Barkas issues appeal to fans, FC Utrecht in crisis ahead of trip to Celtic Park

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The Celtic Star

·24 January 2026

Barkas issues appeal to fans, FC Utrecht in crisis ahead of trip to Celtic Park

FC Utrecht head coach Ron Jans has joined forces with former Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas in an appeal to supporters for calm ahead of next week’s Europa League meeting with the Scottish champions at Celtic Park…

Vasilis Barkas of FC Utrecht during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between SC Freiburg and FC Utrecht at Stadion am Wolfswinkel on October 23, 2025 in Freiburg, Germany. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)

Celtic will secure progression to the knockout playoffs with a victory over the Dutch outfit, who have already been knocked out of the competition.

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Utrecht’s domestic form has also dipped alarmingly, with the club languishing in tenth place in the Eredivisie after suffering four consecutive defeats.

Frustration among the fanbase intensified following a midweek 1-0 home defeat to Genk in Europe, a result that left Jans’ side with only a single point from seven matches.

In an effort to ease tensions, Jans confirmed he held talks with a group of supporters alongside Barkas in a bid to address concerns and restore unity.

The Greek goalkeeper was signed by Celtic from AEK Athens for £4.5 million six years ago but struggled to establish himself, delivering a run of underwhelming displays before eventually being allowed to depart the club.

Barkas featured just 24 times during his spell in Glasgow, including 16 league appearances, with Celtic winning only nine of those Scottish Premiership matches.

Now, Utrecht boss Jans said via Daily Record: “I’m going to fight. We have to stick together, work hard, and not complain. That’s the path we’re taking. I have also met a delegation of fans, together with Vasilis Barkas.

“Those supporters had also noticed that things weren’t going well. But they were willing to support us. I was pleasantly surprised by the group that was there. Kudos to them. They want to help us.

“I’m confident we’ll turn things around. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. Things have crossed my mind, but I haven’t considered resigning. I’ve never given up a coaching job before. It’s not going so well at the moment. But turning things around would be fantastic.”

Martin O’Neill’s Celtic side will qualify for the Europa League playoffs with a victory against FC Utrecht at Celtic Park on Thursday evening. There are still a limited number of tickets available via the official Celtic FC website.

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