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Dogged 21st century Celtic record at risk of being wiped out

The Premiership champions have never lost their opening three matches of a Champions League or Europa League campaign and are determined to keep that proud sequence intact under the Parkhead lights.

In 22 campaigns in the tournament proper, Celtic have always avoided three straight defeats at the start of a European adventure. But after losses to Ferencvaros and Benfica, they head into this week's showdown knowing another setback would see that record finally fall.

The Hoops were beaten on matchday one before suffering a bruising 4-1 loss in Lisbon last week, leaving them searching for their first points of the campaign.

Celta Vigo arrive in Glasgow facing similar pressure after opening with two defeats of their own. The Spaniards know victory could reignite their hopes of qualification, while a third consecutive loss would leave them in deep trouble.

With both teams desperate to kick-start their European campaigns, Thursday night's clash has all the ingredients of a high-stakes battle. For Celtic, though, there is an added incentive: protecting a long-standing continental record that has survived for more than two decades.

Celtic's record in their first three Champions League/Europa League group or league phase games

2001/02: Juventus 3-2 Celtic, Celtic 1-0 Porto, Celtic 1-0 Rosenborg - W2 L1

2003/04: Bayern 2-Celtic 1, Celtic 2-0 Lyon, Anderlecht 1-0 Celtic - W1 L2

2004/05: Celtic 1-3 Barcelona , Milan 2-0 Celtic, Celtic 1-0 Shakhtar - W1 L2

2006/07: Man Utd 3-2 Celtic, Celtic 1-0 Copenhagen, Celtic 3-0 Benfica - W2 L1

2007/08: Shakhtar 2-0 Celtic, Celtic 2-1 Milan, Benfica 1-0 Celtic - W1 L2

2008/09: Celtic 0-0 Aalborg, Villarreal 1-0 Celtic, Man Utd 3-0 Celtic - D1 L2

2009/10: Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1 Celtic, Celtic 1-1 Rapid Vienna, Celtic 0-1 Hamburg - D1 L2

2011/12: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Celtic, Celtic 1-1 Udinese, Rennes 1-1 Celtic - D2 L1

2012/13: Benfica 0-0 Celtic, Spartak Moscow 2-3 Celtic, Barcelona 2-1 Celtic - W1 D1 L1

2013/14: AC Milan 2-0 Celtic, Celtic 0-1 Barcelona, Celtic 2-1 Ajax - W1 L2

2014/15: RB Salzburg 2-2 Celtic, Celtic 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic 2-1 Astra Giurgi - W2 D1

2015/16: Ajax 2-2 Celtic, Celtic 2-2 Fenerbache, Molde 3-1 Celtic - D2 L1

2016/17: Barcelona 7-0 Celtic, Celtic 3-3 Man City, Celtic 0-2 M'Gladbach - D1 L2

2017/18: Celtic 0-5 PSG, Anderlecht 0-3 Celtic, Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic - W1 L2

2018/19: Celtic 1-0 Rosenberg, RB Salzburg 3-1 Celtic, RB Leipzig 2-0 Celtic - W1 L2

2019/20: Rennes 1-1 Celtic, Celtic 2-0 Cluj, Celtic 2-1 Lazio - W2 D1

2020/21: Celtic 1-3 Milan, Lille 2-2 Celtic, Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague - D1 L2

2021/22: Betis 4-3 Celtic, Celtic 0-4 Leverkusen, Celtic 2-0 Ferncvaros - W1 L2

2022/23: Celtic 0-3 Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Celtic, RB Leipzig 3-1 Celtic -D1 L2

2023/24: Feyenoord 2-0 Celtic, Celtic 1-2 Lazio, Celtic 2-2 Atletico Madrid - D1 L2

2024/25: Celtic 5-1 Slovan Bratislava, Borussia Dortmund 7-1 Celtic, Atalanta 0-0 Celtic - W1 D1 L1

2025/26: Red Star Belgrade 1-1 Celtic, Celtic 0-2 Braga, Celtic 2-1 Sturm Graz - W1 D1 L1

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