McGregor laments Celtic's 'team of individuals'

What the report says

Celtic captain Callum McGregor gave a blunt assessment of his side after their 3-0 defeat to Rangers in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, saying they played more like “a team of individuals” than a united group. BBC Sport reported that Celtic, who had gone into the match with a perfect domestic record, were outplayed by their Glasgow rivals and fell behind to Dan Neil’s first-half goal before never recovering.

McGregor said Rangers were sharper and more cohesive, while Celtic lacked the work rate and organisation needed for a game of that scale. He argued that his team did not run hard enough without the ball and could not defend effectively with so few players involved, describing the display as poor across most areas. BBC Sport also noted that goalkeeper Sam Johnstone made early errors that went unpunished, while Celtic repeatedly lost possession in their own half.

The result adds pressure on Martin O’Neill’s side after another disappointing European setback earlier in the season. Celtic are due to face Rangers again in the Scottish Premiership next weekend, with a Europa League home match against Ferencvaros coming first. McGregor said the club must respond quickly and improve in the big matches if they want to be a strong Celtic side.