Celtic Handed Disappointing Ticket Update Ahead of Beşiktaş Europa League Clash

Celtic are facing another potentially disappointing attendance at Parkhead, with more than 3,400 tickets still available for Thursday night’s Europa League meeting with Beşiktaş.

A check of the club’s official ticketing website at 5pm on Wednesday revealed that 3,454 seats remained on general sale, raising further questions about supporter interest ahead of another important European fixture.

Adult tickets are priced from £45, while over-65s and under-16s can purchase seats from £32. A booking fee of up to £1.60 is also added to each ticket.

More than 3,400 seats remain available

The remaining tickets are spread across several areas of Celtic Park, with the North Stand, Jock Stein Stand and Lisbon Lions Stand all showing availability.

The breakdown at 5pm on Wednesday was:

The figure is subject to change throughout the day, as tickets temporarily held in supporters’ online baskets can become available again when reservations expire.

It is also a situation Celtic have experienced during this season’s European campaign. Around 3,500 tickets were still available three days before the Ferencváros fixture in September, while approximately 2,239 remained ahead of last month’s meeting with Celta Vigo.

Hospitality packages have also not completely sold out through the club. Club 67 is priced at £135 for adults and £80 for children, while Club Celtic packages range from £85 to £145. However, Champions Travel, which offers official Club 67 packages, lists the fixture as sold out on its own website.

Ticket figures do not tell the whole story

The number of tickets available on general sale does not necessarily represent how many empty seats will be visible inside the stadium.

Season-ticket holders enrolled in the Home Cup Ticket Scheme are automatically charged for European home matches. Celtic also do not operate a ticket exchange, meaning supporters who have already paid for a seat but cannot attend have no official club platform through which to pass it on.

Nevertheless, the number of tickets still available will add to concerns about the atmosphere and level of supporter engagement surrounding the club.

O’Neill’s side need a response in Europe

Martin O’Neill’s team head into the Beşiktaş encounter under considerable pressure after losing all three of their opening Europa League league-phase matches.

Defeats against Ferencváros, Benfica and Celta Vigo have left Celtic without a point, making Thursday’s meeting another important opportunity to get their European campaign moving.

There are several possible reasons behind the lack of demand for tickets. Celtic’s summer recruitment has attracted considerable criticism, while performances have done little to convince supporters that the current squad can consistently deliver in the biggest matches.

Domestic struggles have added to the frustration, with the team finding it difficult to produce convincing performances against Scottish Premiership opposition. Their European displays have been even more concerning.

Discontent with the club’s board and the way business continues to be conducted has also remained a major issue among sections of the support.

The ongoing Green Brigade boycott could further affect the atmosphere at Parkhead, particularly for a European fixture that would traditionally have generated considerable excitement.

Those who do attend will hope to get behind O’Neill and his players, but Celtic face the challenge of producing a performance capable of reconnecting with supporters who have become increasingly frustrated.

With thousands of seats still available, the ticket figures provide another indication of the difficult relationship between the club and its support heading into Thursday night.