Two iconic British football clubs, Celtic and Arsenal, are preparing to face off in a fascinating European showdown.
Among these two teams, it's the Scottish titans, Celtic, who have a Champions League trophy to their name, though it dates all the way back to 1967 when Europe’s elite club competition was known as the European Cup. Indeed, Celtic holds the distinction of being the first British side to claim this prestigious prize, accomplishing the feat a year before Manchester United's victory over SL Benfica in the 1968 European Cup final.
Celtic's triumphant moment in 1966/67 was marked by a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in Lisbon. Just three years later, in 1969/70, they returned to the European Cup final, only to succumb to Feyenoord on this occasion. In the era of the UEFA Champions League, Celtic has been a consistent participant but has only advanced to the Round of 16 three times.
Arsenal FC are still yet to win a European Cup, but did display impressive consistency in the competition during Arsene Wenger's tenure at the North London club.
Their best performance in the UEFA Champions League was undoubtedly the 2005/06 edition. They reached the final and faced FC Barcelona in Paris. It was a match defined by early adversity as Arsenal's Jens Lehmann received a red card just 18 minutes into the contest. Nevertheless, Sol Campbell headed Wenger's side into the lead eight minutes before halftime. Arsenal valiantly defended their advantage until Samuel Eto'o equalised with only 14 minutes left to play, and Brazilian substitute Juliano Belletti ultimately shattered Arsenal hearts with an 80th-minute winner.
From the 2003/04 season to 2016/17, Arsenal consistently reached at least the round of 16 in the competition, with two quarter-final appearances and a semi-final outing in 2008/09, where they were ultimately eliminated by Manchester United. Arsenal have experienced some European success, securing the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969-70 and clinching the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1993/94.
Celtic FC vs Arsenal Head to Head
The two teams have rarely crossed paths in competitive fixtures. However, Celtic and Arsenal did meet in the UEFA Champions League during the play-off round of the 2009/10 season.
In the first leg at Celtic Park, Arsenal won 2-0 to put themselves in a strong position to advance. Eduardo, Emmanuel Eboue, and Andrei Arshavin all found the net for Arsenal in the return leg, with Massimo Donati scoring a consolation goal for Celtic. The Gunners won 5-1 on aggregate. To see them in action when they next meet, fans can buy Celtic FC vs Arsenal tickets on SeatPick.
Celtic FC vs Arsenal Connections
Several players have represented both Celtic and Arsenal, but perhaps the most notable example is Scottish forward Charlie Nicholas. He kickstarted his career at Celtic, amassing an impressive tally of 84 goals in 117 appearances before securing a lucrative transfer to Highbury in 1983, where he swiftly became a beloved figure.
Nicholas notched 54 goals in 184 matches for the Gunners and earned an English League Cup along the way before returning to Celtic for another five-season stint. Arsenal legends Freddie Ljungberg and Ian Wright both had short spells at Celtic Park towards the end of their careers. In more recent times, Kieran Tierney swapped the green and white stripes of Celtic for the red of Arsenal.
