Talksport pundit says Celtic ‘disgraced UK football’ in heavy Benfica loss before delivering brutal Old Firm takedown

TalkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy has launched a scathing attack on Celtic following their 4-1 Europa League defeat to Benfica, claiming Martin O’Neill’s side had “disgraced UK football” during another miserable night in Europe.

The former Chelsea defender also dismissed suggestions that Celtic and Rangers remain bigger clubs than the majority of their English counterparts, insisting the Old Firm could no longer rely on their historical standing to justify such claims.

Celtic’s heavy defeat in Lisbon has left them languishing third from bottom in the Europa League standings, having already suffered a 3-1 home loss to Ferencváros last month. Their European campaign has been further complicated by a dramatic Champions League play-off exit against LASK in August, when they squandered their advantage to lose 5-4 on aggregate.

O’Neill’s men now face further league-phase fixtures against Celta Vigo, Besiktas, Torreense and Omonoia as they attempt to secure a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Celtic’s struggles have been mirrored elsewhere in Scotland this season. Rangers failed to qualify for a European competition after successive eliminations against Jagiellonia Białystok and Jablonec, while Hearts suffered defeats against Sturm Graz and Benfica before recovering to beat Rapid Vienna on penalties to reach the Conference League.

Hearts subsequently began their league-phase campaign with a draw against FC Nordsjælland, conceding a late equaliser at Tynecastle to miss out on all three points.

Cundy has regularly criticised Scottish clubs’ performances in Europe and pounced on Celtic’s latest setback during Thursday night’s edition of talkSPORT’s The Sports Bar.

Speaking alongside former Southampton striker Charlie Austin, the outspoken pundit questioned why Scottish sides continued to compete at the highest level of European football.

“Celtic, I don’t know why they bother,” Cundy said. “You know when you were in the playground at school and you need 11 players? Scottish clubs are always the last to be picked when you need another body.

“And again, they have disgraced UK football. What’s the point? They were smashed by Benfica tonight and it’s the same old, same old story.”

Debate reignited over Celtic & Rangers’ standing among England’s biggest clubs

Cundy’s comments came as Celtic’s defensive shortcomings were exposed, with Benfica establishing a three-goal lead before half-time. Although Camilo Duran pulled one back after the interval, Vangelis Pavlidis restored the hosts’ three-goal advantage late on to complete a comprehensive victory for the Portuguese giants.

The debate subsequently turned to the wider standing of Scottish football, with Cundy joined by Si Ferry, Paul Slane and Andy Halliday from the Open Goal podcast. The discussion became particularly heated when Cundy challenged their suggestion that Celtic and Rangers remained bigger clubs than most teams south of the border.

Cundy argued that the Old Firm could not continue to rely on past achievements when assessing their current standing in the game.

He said: “Do you know what? In a thousand years’ time, there will be some idiot like you sitting there saying exactly the same thing, and nothing will have changed. You can’t live off history, you make history. You can’t keep doing this.”

When asked how many English clubs he considered bigger than Celtic and Rangers, Cundy delivered an unequivocal response. “Every one of them! Because you lot live in a bubble. You live in a bubble in Glasgow,” he declared. “Everyone in Newcastle thinks they are a massive football club, they are not. You are the Newcastle of the North. You guys are big in Glasgow, that’s it.”

His comments are likely to provoke a strong reaction among supporters of both Glasgow clubs, whose histories include European success, domestic dominance and substantial support beyond Scotland.

The immediate concern for Celtic, though, remains on the pitch. O’Neill has insisted his side can still qualify for the Europa League knockout stages, pointing to their improved second-half display at the Estadio da Luz as a source of encouragement.

Yet with defensive mistakes continuing to undermine their European performances, the Scottish champions must find a way to turn that promise into results if they are to silence critics such as Cundy and revive their continental campaign.

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