Ferencvaros deepen Celtic crisis with 3-1 win in Europa League opener

Celtic's troubled start to the season took another turn for the worse as Ferencvaros claimed a 3-1 win at Celtic Park in the first round of the Europa League phase. The Scottish champions arrived bruised from a chastening 3-0 defeat to Rangers days earlier and still haunted by a Champions League qualifying exit against LASK, and they found no relief on the continental stage. Goals from Bamidele Yusuf, Kristoffer Zachariassen and Daniel Arzani punished more defensive frailties from Martin O'Neill's side.

• Celtic lose 3-1 at home to Ferencvaros and add another European setback to their season.
• Daniel Arzani capped the Hungarian victory with a stunning strike on his return to Celtic Park.
• Juventus opened their campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of NEC Nijmegen, with Randal Kolo Muani scoring after another error by goalkeeper Nikolas Polster.
• Marseille, winless in Ligue 1, were beaten 4-1 away at Besiktas and extended their miserable run.

Ferencvaros punish Celtic's defensive mistakes in Glasgow

The tone was set early for the home side. Yusuf put Ferencvaros ahead from one of the visitors' first genuine attacking threats, and although Mika Baur levelled just before the break, the response did not last. Zachariassen restored the advantage shortly after the restart in a move that once again underlined Celtic's inability to defend their own box with authority.

Arzani then produced a moment of brilliance to seal the win. The forward, back at the ground where he previously played, fired a sensational strike that completed a fine night for Ferencvaros and left Celtic with no way back. The hosts delivered several dangerous crosses, especially in the final twenty minutes, but lacked presence at the near post and the sharpness needed to keep moves alive.

Martin O'Neill admits the defeat hits Celtic psychologically

We are naturally disappointed to be beaten. We started brightly and created chances, but their first real attempt yielded a goal. We came back, got the equaliser before half-time and then conceded a really poor goal. For the third, we were caught on the break.

The Celtic manager acknowledged the psychological cost of the result. O'Neill stressed the need to focus on Sunday's meeting with Rangers, while reminding that seven Europa League matches remain to collect points and turn the situation around.

He described the evening as a European lesson in many respects and highlighted the importance of recharging energy levels. The accumulation of poor results, both domestically and in UEFA competitions, has raised serious alarms at a club that cannot find consistency and keeps being punished for defensive lapses.

Juventus rout NEC Nijmegen 5-0 behind a shaky goalkeeper

In Turin, Juventus opened their Europa League campaign with a commanding 5-0 win over NEC Nijmegen. The contest tilted early thanks to a serious mistake from goalkeeper Nikolas Polster, who allowed Nicolás González to steal the ball and give the hosts the lead in the ninth minute. Kerim Alajbegovic and a Nick Woltemade penalty extended the advantage before the break.

Zeki Celik made it 4-0 in the 75th minute before Randal Kolo Muani completed the rout following another Polster error. The keeper rushed out of his goal and failed to clear, leaving the French forward with an empty net to roll the ball into. Juventus start with authority in a competition where they are expected to go far.

Marseille sink in Istanbul and extend their poor run

Marseille's miserable spell carried over into Europe with a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Besiktas. The French side, already on a run of three straight Ligue 1 losses, conceded three goals in the second half and left Istanbul with a deeply worrying feeling of impotence.

Besiktas took control after the break and punished a fragile Marseille defence. The performance in Turkey offers little optimism for a project expected to challenge near the top in France and to progress through the early rounds of the continental competition.

OFI Crete and Salzburg start with narrow wins

Elsewhere in the Europa League's opening round, Greek side OFI Crete beat Germany's Hoffenheim 2-0 at home, while RB Salzburg earned a valuable 0-1 away win at Levski Sofia in Bulgaria. Both teams begin the league phase on a positive note in a format where every point matters when it comes to avoiding extra knockout ties.

Frequently asked questions about the Europa League opening round