“I really do like Duran, he’s a fine player,” Martin O’Neill | OneFootball

Camilo Duran was the subject of praise from his new manager, Martin O’Neill after the Colombian striker grabbed his third goal in as many matches for the Hoops on Saturday afternoon against AC Milan at Paradise…

Celtic player Camilo Duran poses for pictures at Celtic Park, Glasgow on Thursday 23rd July 2026. Photo Andy Buchanan Shutterstock

The lethal Celtic striker was too fast for the AC Milan defence and almost too quick for the CelticPlayer (aka Celtic TV) camera operator who just about managed to capture Duran’s opening goal in the Celtic Unique Angle video.

The Bhoys took to the field against the seven times European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners on the 25 July in Glasgow’s East End, in what was a rekindling of an old rivalry that has been ongoing throughout the years in European football for both clubs, having faced each other multiple times in the two main tournaments.

Despite the heavyweight billing, there was a dearth of truly matching personnel for the Italians, as they fielded a mix of established players and younger stars when they took on the Scottish Premiership Champions.

Still players missing as World Cup performers still to return to action

However, most of their more notable names were missing in what will be Celtic’s final warm-up match before the season starts a week on Monday against Dundee at Celtic Park.

Camilo Duran of Celtic celebrates scoring opening goal with James Forrest to make it Celtic 1-0 AC Milan during the Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Meantime, former FC Qarabag man Duran carried on his rich vein of goalscoring form for his new employers, bagging another strike to make it three goals in three matches now for the man who scored five times in the UEFA Champions League last term.

Those stats are starting to make sense now the more the support see Camilo Duran up close and personal, possibly signalling what is to come down the line this year.

Celtic’s new signing Camilo Duran poses for pictures at Celtic Park, Glasgow on Thursday 23rd July 2026. Photo Andy Buchanan IMAGO/ Shutterstock

After that match, Martin O’Neill was effusive in his praise for the new Hoops hitman, describing him as “a fine player”, in what will be an excellent boost for the South American attacker to hear, if and when he eventually comes across it.

The Irishman is keen to add more faces too, with one of his bug-bears from last time around the team’s inability to find the back of the net consistently.

Celtic’s new signing Camilo Duran poses for pictures at Celtic Park, Glasgow on Thursday 23rd July 2026. Photo Andy Buchanan IMAGO/ Shutterstock

“Last season, I don’t know where we found our way but we did. For most of the time that I was here, we struggled to score goals. We did get goals, but when you don’t have a recognised striker in the team,” a frustrated sounding Martin O’Neill said at the post match mainstream media conference at Celtic Park late on Saturday afternoon.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic reacts after scoring his team’s second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on May 16, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“Maeda had come up brilliantly for us in the last six or seven weeks of the season, but we didn’t have that. So that would be a big plus for us if we can do that. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to play together (Camilo Duran and potential new signing Kasper Høgh).”

Kasper Hogh of Bodo/Glimt celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between FK Bodo/Glimt and Sporting Clube de Portugal at Aspmyra Stadion on March 11, 2026 in Bodo, Norway. (Photo by Martin Ole Wold/Getty Images)

The 74-year-old manager insisted Duran is an very good player indeed, but that he will still have a bit to go before he is considered in the same bracket as the now departed Daizen Maeda, in what was a shrewd move by O’Neill to help balance the praise with. “I really do like Duran, he’s a fine player,” the ex-Aston Villa boss stated earnestly.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill arrives at the ground ahead of kick off in the Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

“He wants to do well, he has a really good attitude, he can close people down. I’m not saying he’s reached Maeda standard yet, but he’s doing fine. And he can get hold of the ball,” he added with a sense of relief at his new striker’s obvious ability.

Paul Gillespie

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