Celtic's Champions League Revival Marred by Kyogo Furuhashi Exit Rumors

Celtic's Champions League resurgence is overshadowed by reports that star striker Kyogo Furuhashi is set to leave the club for French side Rennes.

Celtic has secured a spot in the Champions League knockout phase for the first time in 12 years, thanks to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Young Boys. This win guaranteed a top-24 finish in the 36-team table with a game to spare, a remarkable achievement for Brendan Rodgers' men. Celtic currently sits level on points with European powerhouses Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund.

The Scottish champions have undoubtedly benefited from a favorable draw, which data analysts Opta deemed the easiest in the competition. Celtic's three wins have come against teams already eliminated, including Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig, and Young Boys. While some may argue that Celtic's success is largely due to their kind draw, the team's resurgence on the European stage is part of a broader trend.

The new Champions League format has created opportunities for bigger clubs from smaller leagues to shine. Feyenoord's stunning 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday is a prime example, as the Dutch side booked their place in the knockout stages for the first time in 31 years. Other teams, such as PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, and Club Brugge, are also on course to qualify, while Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are facing the possibility of elimination on the final night of action.

Return to European Prominence

Celtic Park, renowned for its intimidating atmosphere on Champions League nights, had not witnessed a single home win in the competition for a decade between 2013 and 2023. Despite dominating Scottish football, winning 13 of the last 14 league titles, Celtic struggled to make an impact in Europe. However, this season has seen a significant turnaround, with three home wins in five months and only one loss in seven Champions League games.

Brendan Rodgers, who returned for a second spell at Parkhead in 2023, acknowledged the challenges the club faced in the past decade. “It's been a challenging decade for this club because of resources and everything else, but I think we're starting to see that we really can compete - and not just compete but play to a level of football that's synonymous with this club,” he said. Rodgers emphasized that making an impact in Europe was a key factor in his decision to return to Celtic.

Rodgers expressed his pride in Celtic's achievement, saying, “It's a little bit of history created, we haven't been in the knockout stages for a long time.” He also highlighted the team's impressive performance, adding, “To have 12 points at this stage is fantastic from where the club has been.” Looking ahead, Rodgers emphasized the importance of sustaining this level of performance over the coming years, stating, “The idea is to be able to sustain this level over the coming years.”

22' - Match update:

🟩 Great play as Maeda backheels to Hatate, who plays a brilliant ball to Kyogo but the striker's attempt doesn't test the keeper
🟩 Kühn's can't quite find Kyogo with his cross
🟡 Nicolas Kühn recieves a yellow

🟩0️⃣-0️⃣🟨#CelticBSCYB | #UCL | #CelticFC🍀

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) January 22, 2025

Celtic's triumph was slightly overshadowed by reports that star striker Kyogo Furuhashi is set to leave the club for French side Rennes. Despite his impressive record of 85 goals in 165 games since joining Celtic in 2021, Kyogo has struggled to maintain international recognition with Japan and is reportedly eager to move to a top-five league.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor acknowledged the challenge of keeping top players at the club. “All our good players, we want to keep them for as long as we can and generally when there's speculation, then people have done well so we want that as well,” he said. McGregor emphasized the importance of retaining Kyogo, stating, “It gets people talking about Celtic and the players that we've got so I'm sure the club will do everything they can to keep him because he's a top player and a top person as well.”

The potential loss of Kyogo highlights a long-standing issue for Celtic, as the club has consistently made big profits in the transfer market but struggled to hold onto top talent. This talent drain has hindered Celtic's progress in European competitions. However, this season has marked a turning point, with the team thriving in the Champions League's new format.