CELTIC FANS DEMAND PLAYER NEVER PLAYS FOR CELTIC AGAIN AFTER DEFEAT TO BENFICA, THEY’RE ‘DESTROYING’ HIM ONLINE

Celtic supporters have been left furious after their side suffered another painful European defeat, with one player facing serious criticism online following a disastrous night against Benfica.

 

Martin O’Neill’s men travelled to Lisbon on Thursday night hoping to get their Europa League campaign back on track after losing 3-1 to Ferencváros in their opening league-phase fixture. Instead, the Scottish champions endured another miserable evening on the European stage, suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat at the Estádio da Luz.

 

While Celtic supporters had hoped to see a determined response from their team, the visitors found themselves three goals behind before half-time, leaving them with a mountain to climb against a Benfica side that showed little mercy in front of goal.

 

And although Celtic managed to find the net in the second half, their performance was not enough to prevent another damaging result.

 

However, one of the biggest talking points after the final whistle was not simply the scoreline. Instead, attention quickly turned towards a Celtic player whose performance became a major talking point among frustrated supporters, with some questioning whether he should continue to feature for the club.

 

The player in question is young defender Dane Murray, whose involvement in the opening goal put him under immediate scrutiny as Celtic’s defensive problems once again came back to haunt them.

 

According to the match reports, Murray fouled Jhon Durán inside the penalty area in the fifth minute, allowing Benfica to take an early lead from the spot. Alexander Bah subsequently extended the advantage in the 23rd minute before Durán struck again in the 36th minute, leaving Celtic facing an almost impossible task before the interval.

 

For a club with Celtic’s history and ambitions, the manner of the first-half collapse was particularly difficult for supporters to accept.

 

Benfica eventually added a fourth goal through Vangelis Pavlidis in the 89th minute, after Camilo Durán had briefly given the visitors something to celebrate with his 63rd-minute strike.

 

The final score was 4-1, and Celtic were left searching for answers after another disappointing European performance.

 

The result also intensified the pressure surrounding O’Neill’s team, who had already suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Ferencváros earlier in the competition.

 

For supporters who travelled to Portugal hoping for a response, the performance raised uncomfortable questions about the team’s defensive organisation, individual decision-making and ability to compete against stronger European opposition.

 

And Murray’s involvement in the penalty incident meant he was inevitably among the players discussed after the match.

 

Celtic supporters took to online discussions following the defeat to vent their frustrations, with some directing particularly harsh criticism towards individual players. In post-match conversations on Reddit, one supporter listed Murray alongside Sebastian Tounekti and Oliver Sørensen among players they wanted to see leave the team, while another described the performance as part of a wider pattern of disappointing results.

 

Other comments focused on goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, with some supporters criticising his performance and questioning his communication with the defence.

 

The reaction illustrates the depth of frustration within sections of the Celtic support, although it would be inaccurate to suggest that every supporter has singled out Murray or that a club-wide demand for his exclusion has been established.

 

Nevertheless, the criticism directed at the young defender highlights the difficult position Celtic’s younger players can find themselves in when the team struggles on the European stage.

 

Murray is not solely responsible for a 4-1 defeat, particularly when the entire defensive structure struggled to contain Benfica’s attacking threat. However, making a costly mistake early in a match can leave a player under intense scrutiny, especially when the opposition subsequently takes complete control.

 

The opening penalty was particularly damaging because Celtic had barely settled into the contest before finding themselves behind. Against a side with Benfica’s attacking quality, conceding so early left O’Neill’s team chasing the game almost immediately.

 

Benfica then capitalised on their advantage, scoring twice more before half-time and exposing the problems Celtic were experiencing in containing their opponents.

 

The result was a familiar source of frustration for supporters who have watched Celtic struggle to reproduce their domestic authority in European competition.

 

There was at least one positive moment for the travelling fans when Camilo Durán scored in the second half, offering a brief reminder that Celtic could still threaten going forward. However, Pavlidis’s late goal ensured that Benfica finished the evening with a commanding three-goal margin.

 

The defeat also continued a difficult run of European results. Celtic had already lost to Ferencváros at home, and the latest setback leaves O’Neill with further questions to answer as the team attempts to recover in the Europa League.

 

Importantly, the criticism of Murray should be viewed in that wider context. Celtic’s defensive difficulties cannot be explained by one player or one incident alone. Organisation, midfield protection, communication and collective concentration all contribute to how a team performs under sustained pressure.

 

That is why the reaction has extended beyond the young defender, with sections of the support also questioning the manager’s decisions and the overall direction of the team.

 

For O’Neill, the immediate challenge is to restore confidence, address the defensive weaknesses and ensure that the players respond positively to the criticism.

 

Murray, meanwhile, faces the task of learning from a difficult evening and proving that he can handle the pressure associated with playing for Celtic.

 

The 4-1 defeat to Benfica will undoubtedly sting, but it does not automatically mean that one poor moment should define a young player’s future at the club.

 

Celtic’s supporters will expect a reaction in their next matches, and the pressure will remain on both the players and the coaching staff to deliver one.

 

For now, the debate among the fanbase reflects a familiar reality of football: when results collapse, patience can disappear quickly, and individual mistakes often become the focus of wider anger.

 

Whether Murray retains his place in the coming games remains to be seen. What is clear is that Celtic cannot afford another performance of this nature if they hope to rebuild confidence in Europe.

 

And after another painful night in Lisbon, the question facing O’Neill is whether his side can turn the criticism into a response on the pitch before the pressure grows even greater.