Sebastian Tounekti – Celtic need significant Europa League progress

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The Celtic Star

·23 September 2025

Sebastian Tounekti – Celtic need significant Europa League progress

Sebastian Tounekti has spoken about the need for Celtic to make significant progress in the Europa League after the club failed to reach the Champions League group stage, losing to Kairat Almaty in the play-offs, a regular occurrence under this Celtic Board…

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

Had Tounekti been signed in time it may well have been a different story but the Celtic Board’s weird insistence on waiting until the last minute of the transfer window has yet again backfired.

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You’d have thought the penny would have dropped a long time before now. For the Celtic support though it’s a summer horror movie we’ve seen so many times and now we’re heartily sick of it. Chance clearly is needed in the Celtic boardroom.

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

Speaking after the 4-0 Premier Sports League Cup quarter-final win at Firhill, the new Celtic hero heads to Belgrade today for tomorrow evening’s match at the Stadion Rajko Mitić against Red Star,Belgrade, with a real appreciation of what is now needed from this Celtic squad.

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

“It is really important,” Sebastian Tounekti said as reported by Glasgow Times. “We want to go as far as possible. We feel like we can do that, we feel like the team and squad is good, we feel like the Europa is really important and we want to go as far as possible.

“I think the secret is to be ourselves, to not change. If we meet Roma, or someone else, we just have to be ourselves. We have to play our style of football. Bodo [Tounekti’s former team] has shown it is possible to go far.

“We want to go as far as possible and for that we have to play our style and to develop and to play good games. I feel we have the chance to go really far. That’s the goal, we want to go as far as possible.

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

“For that we have to develop, we have to be good and we have to stay focused. We are going to meet many good teams, it’s going to be difficult. But we want to go as far as possible. It’s no secret.

“I think everyone knows it’s a competition we want to be good in. It’s a big competition and we want to go as far as possible. We’re just looking forward to starting the campaign,” the new Celtic star added.

“These Europa games are always tough,” he added. “I’m really looking forward to it. I know it is a difficult place to go. But I feel like the team is in a good way, I feel like we develop every day, and I think we can do a nice game there.

Sebastian Tounekti scores during the Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“The most important thing is to go there and be us, to play our own game. We know it will be a difficult game, but we will give 100 percent.”

Tounekti has been a stand-out in his first two away matches for Celtic, and grabbed his first goal for the club early in the second half after a great assist from Kelechi Iheanacho.

“It’s always nice to get your first goal,” Sebastian said. “I think the first game was good, but my job is to contribute with goals and assists and it’s always nice to get started on that. So, I’m very pleased.

“The manager gives me a lot of freedom, just to do what I am doing. That is to help the team, to create chances and to create goals and to beat players. I am pleased with that. I just want to help the team as much as possible.

“But it’s been a big help from my team-mates and from the coaches. It’s been really good, they help me a lot. It’s been really easy to come into the group and to settle in. Especially the playing style, it’s really suiting me. I’m just enjoying it.”

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

On Iheanacho’s delightful pass to set up his first Celtic goal Tounekti clearly recognises the quality of the new Celtic striker. “We all know what Kelechi can bring. He has played in the top level for many years.

“We know when he starts to get his confidence back and everything he’ll be a top, top player for Celtic. I am really looking forward to seeing him more and to see him grow for the team. I think he will be a good player for Celtic this season.”

So will you Sebastian, so will you…

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