Celtic v Sporting Braga: Team news, referee details, KO time & where to watch

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The Celtic Star

·2 October 2025

Celtic v Sporting Braga: Team news, referee details, KO time & where to watch

Celtic Park hosts its first of four Europa League matches this evening against Portuguese side Sporting Braga and it’s now heading towards a 60,000 sell-out with very few seats remaining unsold…

Brendan Rodgers of Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 September 2025 Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Celtic currently sit on one point picked up on the road against Red Star Belgrade last midweek, while Braga have three points on the board after a fine 1-0 home win over Feyenoord on match-day one.

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Brendan Rodgers’ side will be boosted by the news that the scheduled silent protest, which would have significantly dampened the atmosphere, has been called off after the Celtic Board reached out to the various Celtic supporter organisations last week to arrange a meeting next Monday to discuss the collective concerns of the Celtic support after a dreadful transfer window and a disgraceful Champions League play-off elimination to Kairat.

Celtic supporters shows their support at full-time following the team’s victory in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Semi Final match between St Johnstone and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

So Paradise will be in full voice and the support will certainly play our part on roaring the Bhoys on to what would be a significant victory.

Celtic Team News

Colby Donovan of Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Reo Hatate is back in contention after sitting out the goalless draw against Hibs at the weekend after feeling a tightness in his hamstring in Belgrade. Colby Donovan was rested at the weekend after Brendan Rodgers explained his game-time would have to be managed after two matches for the Scotland U19s and three starts for the Celtic first team. The 19 year old is in contention to start this evening. Auston Trusty has returned to training but this evening with be too soon for the American defender, while Alistair Johnston remains sidelined but is now scheduled to re-join the group in training after the international break.

Predicted Celtic Team

Reo Hatate of Celtic Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025 Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Schmeichel; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Hatate, Nygren, Iheanacho and Tounekti Subs: Sinisalo, Doohan; Yang, Balikwisha, McCowan, Kenny, Engels, Bernardo, Saracchi, Murray, Forrest and Ralston

Red Star Belgrade 1-1 Celtic.Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic celebrates his goal Crvena zvezda v Celtic, UEFA Europa League, Football, Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – 24 Sep 2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic Stadium Serbia Photo Nikola Krstic Shutterstock

Match Officials

Celtic will take on Portuguese outfit Braga this for Europa League Matchday Two, with Tobias Stieler named the whistler for the encounter that is heading towards a sell-out.

Referee Tobias Stieler during the UEFA Conference League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between Djurgarden and SK Rapid at Stockholm Arena on April 10, 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

Lasse Koslowski and Mark Borsch have been appointed as Stieler’s linesman and Timo Gerach will act as the fourth official with the four officials coming from Germany.

German referee Christian Dingert will operate VAR, with Dutchman Pol van Boekel assisting Dingert as his AVAR.

Kick-off Time

Remember it’s an early 5.45pm kick-off, not ideal for everyone but worth making the effort and at least you’ll be home a little bit earlier.

Where to Watch

Celtic v Sporting Braga is live on TNT Sports 2 with the programme starting at 5pm. You can listen to the match on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Score Prediction

Daizen Maeda – Crvena zvezda vs Celtic Glasgow UEFA Europa league match at Rajko Mitic stadium, Belgrade 24.09.2025Belgrade Rajko Mitic stadium Serbia. Photo: VM/MN Press

An important win for the Bhoys with Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho both getting on the scoresheet and Kasper Schmeichel keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 Celtic victory.

Let’s make some noise for the Bhoys! COYBIG!

Continue reading this from Niall J on the next page…Celtic Fans Collective and a ‘harsh’ heads-up from Brendan Rodgers…

Celtic Fans Collective and a ‘harsh’ heads-up from Brendan Rodgers…

Celtic fan protest. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

The past month has seen Celtic supporters unite like rarely before. In just four weeks, more than 400 groups have come together under the umbrella of the Celtic Fans Collective, creating an organised, clear and consistent voice for fans, and forcing long-overdue dialogue with the board.

Celtic Fans Collective, Founded September 2025.

The unity, resolve and hard work shown by the Collective deserves enormous credit. The organisation has been first class, and the communication with the wider support has been clear, inclusive and respectful.

Celtic fan protest at Rugby Park Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Each protest has been carefully planned and carried out with purpose. The delayed entry at Rugby Park sent a strong symbolic message and was widely praised. The placard protest at Firhill, aligned with banners that highlighted European failures, was powerful, effective and impossible to ignore. Even the silence, while drawing mixed views among the fanbase, has now been shown to have had a clear impact.

Celtic fan protest. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Crucially, the decision to pause it once the board opened communication was the right one. It not only provided the Collective with an opportunity to move forward from a challenging tactic but also showed maturity and good faith in recognising that engagement from the club must be met in kind.

Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

It is also right to highlight the role of fan media in amplifying the campaign. By breaking into mainstream coverage through outlets like Sky Sports and the BBC, they ensured the message reached far beyond the usual supporter channels. Every single fan who took part in any of the protests, even those who may not have been fully convinced of each method, deserves credit. They acted in the name of unity, and that unity has proven to be the campaign’s greatest strength.

Your Silence is Deafening banner in the North Curve. Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

Celtic’s decision to engage after 28 days of silence, and after three highly visible protests, shows that the Collective’s strategy is working. Whether the club’s move has been prompted by falling ticket sales, merchandise concerns, or simply the weight of supporter pressure, the fact remains that they are now talking. Communication is the only way to resolve a standoff like this, and it should always be met with a willingness to engage.

Brendan Rodgers also deserves recognition. Asked about communication by The Celtic Star at his press conference prior to the Hibs game, his words were measured. “In the modern life, the modern world, communication is absolutely vital. It can stabilise lots of things in life having that clarity and sometimes you have to be harsh, to be clear, but you’re better being harsh and communicating than not saying anything.”

Rodgers has tread the line carefully, calling for dialogue without undermining the Collective. Not every manager would have navigated that balance so well, but this manager chooses his words carefully and his use of the word ‘harsh’ should perhaps be a sign of tough conversations that lie ahead. Others within the club, by contrast, have done damage, particularly those behind hostile and cowardly briefings to the press. Such behaviour should not be tolerated or excused, and those responsible should be removed entirely rather than quietly shifted out of sight.

This is, of course, only the beginning. Celtic’s true intentions will become clearer after Monday’s meeting, but there is no guarantee of meaningful change. What is certain is that the unity, organisation and communication of the fans has brought the club to this stage.

That is already a major achievement, and one that must be built upon. The Steering Group and wider Collective will learn from these past weeks, take confidence from what they have accomplished, and apply it to the next stages of the campaign as the movement settles and grows stronger.

For now, Celtic supporters can take pride in the fact that their resolve has made the board listen. It is not the end of the campaign. But, perhaps, it is the beginning of something significant. Fingers crossed.

Niall J

Danny McGrain, David Potter & Willie Fernie – what a combination!

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Out now, order your copy at Celticstarbooks.com

We’re certainly Putting on the Style with the new promotion from Celtic Star Books. David Potter’s final book – Celtic in the Eighties – has been selling wonderfully well since its launch on 5 September. It is by far our fastest-ever seller.

Order one of the last remaining copies of Celtic in the Eighties and Danny McGrain will sign it for you PLUS you’ll receive a copy of David Potter’s wonderful book on Willie Fernie as a free gift.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain has signed the final remaining batch of Celtic in the Eighties. Ordering is simple, just place your order for Celtic in the Eighties at celticstarbooks.com/shop and we’ll do the rest, ensuring your copy is signed by Danny and a complimentary Willie Fernie book dispatched by the next working day, whilst stocks last.

Celtic 3-0 St Mirren, Scottish Premier League, Celtic Park, 15 May 1982.Celtic captain Danny McGrain collects the championship trophy as Roy Aitken looks on. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

Please note that stocks are now running very low indeed and the book will NOT be reprinted. Click on the image below to order. Please note that postage will only be charged on ONE book.

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Out now on Celtic Star Books. Click on image above to order.