More Than a Friendly: The Story Behind Celtic vs. Ajax

There are some fixtures in football that just feel bigger, even when they're friendlies. When you see Celtic and Ajax on the schedule, you know it's more than just a pre-season warm-up. This week, the two European heavyweights meet again, this time on the picturesque shores of Lake Como for the Como Cup. It’s a world away from a packed Parkhead or the Johan Cruyff Arena, but the history between these clubs always adds a little extra spice.

Key Highlights

• ✓ Celtic are set to face Dutch giants Ajax in the pre-season Como Cup tournament in Italy.
• ✓ The clash revives a fiery rivalry with memorable encounters in the Europa League (2015) and Champions League (2013, 2001).
• ✓ Captain Callum McGregor says the players are "feeling good about themselves" after strong pre-season performances.
• ✓ Manager Brendan Rodgers issued a stark reminder that the team "didn't dominate" last season, winning two of three trophies.
• ✓ The club is aiming to improve on both the domestic front and be more competitive in Europe this upcoming season.

A Rivalry Forged in Fire

You don’t have to look back too far to understand why this fixture gets the blood pumping. Cast your mind back to November 2015. It was a tense Europa League night in Glasgow, with Ronny Deila's Celtic side needing a win to keep their European hopes alive. A very young-looking Callum McGregor got the Hoops off to a flyer, scoring after just three minutes, and the place was absolutely rocking.

But Ajax, as they so often do, found a way back. An acrobatic goal from Arkadiusz Milik leveled things before halftime. In the end, it was late heartbreak for Celtic, as Vaclav Cerny—who, ironically, spent a season on loan at Rangers—scored the winner, knocking Celtic out of Europe. That match was just one part of a fiery double-header; in the reverse fixture in Amsterdam, Celtic had been 2-1 up only to concede late on and finish with ten men after Emilio Izaguirre was sent off.

Just two years before that, in 2013, they met in the Champions League. While Ajax got a 1-0 win on their home turf, the game in Glasgow was one for the Celtic history books. Despite Nir Bitton seeing red, the Bhoys held on for a famous and deserved 2-1 victory, with Beram Kayal smashing home what proved to be the winning goal. These games are rarely dull.

The Legendary 2001 Qualifier

But the real modern classic, the one that set the tone for this rivalry, came all the way back in 2001. After a 12-year wait, the clubs were drawn together in the third round of Champions League qualifying. What happened next was simply stunning. Celtic traveled to Amsterdam and produced an absolutely outstanding performance, securing a massive 3-1 first-leg win.

The goals that night came from Bobby Petta, Didier Agathe, and Chris Sutton, a trio that still brings a smile to the face of any Celtic fan. The victory was so comprehensive that the Ajax manager at the time, Co Adriaanse, had to admit his team was completely "outclassed" on their own patch. Even though Ajax managed a 1-0 win at Parkhead in the return leg, the damage was done. Celtic advanced to the group stages for the very first time, a monumental achievement built on that incredible night in Amsterdam.

💡 What's Interesting: When asked about Celtic's recent success, Brendan Rodgers pushed back, saying, "We didn't dominate last year, we won two out of three trophies." This highlights his relentless demand for improvement.

The View from the Captain's Chair

Fast forward to today, and the mood in the Celtic camp is buzzing. The team has arrived in Como, and while the scenery is stunning, their focus is firmly on the pitch. Captain Callum McGregor, speaking to Celtic TV, couldn't have been more positive about the team's preparations. He's been thrilled with how the team has performed in pre-season so far, especially against other top-tier clubs.

"The last couple of games against top-level opponents, the team have been excellent," McGregor said. He pointed to recent victories over Champions League sides Sporting Lisbon and Newcastle as proof. "The rhythm, the flow of the game and the aggressive football that we've been playing has been really good." It's clear that confidence is high as they build towards the season opener against St Mirren.

For McGregor, these are exactly the kind of challenges Celtic should be embracing. "This is what being at Celtic is all about, playing against the best teams," he explained. He sees the Ajax match as another crucial test, a chance to measure themselves against a club with massive history. It’s the perfect preparation for their own Champions League ambitions.

The Gaffer's Relentless Drive

While the captain is rightly confident, the manager, Brendan Rodgers, is focused on keeping everyone's feet on the ground. When a reporter asked him about how his side has "dominated" Scottish football, Rodgers was quick to correct them. He made it crystal clear that, in his eyes, last season wasn't one of total domination, pointing out that they lost the Scottish Cup final to Aberdeen.

This wasn't a negative comment; it was a statement of intent. For Rodgers, winning two out of three trophies isn't the ceiling—it's the standard to be improved upon. "We believe we can be even better this season on the domestic front," he stated, "and also we can take those experiences that we have had over these last couple of seasons into Europe where we aim to perform very, very well."

That's the mentality he's instilling in the squad. It’s a powerful message that complacency has no place at Parkhead. "Celtic is a huge club. You can never stand still," Rodgers explained. "It moves at a really, really fast speed and you need to move with it and that is all about improving, all about developing." That drive is what fuels the club's consistent success and its ambitions for the future.

Conclusion

So, as Celtic and Ajax prepare to face off in the beautiful setting of the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, it's clear this is far more than an exhibition match. It’s another chapter in a long and storied European rivalry, a chance to test new systems and build momentum. The history between these clubs, from the heartbreak of 2015 to the legendary triumph of 2001, provides a rich backdrop to this pre-season encounter.

With Callum McGregor radiating confidence in the squad's form and Brendan Rodgers demanding even greater heights, the mindset at Celtic is perfectly clear. They're not just here for the Italian scenery; they're here to sharpen themselves against elite opposition. This match against Ajax is a perfect barometer for a club determined to not just compete, but to improve and make its mark both at home and in Europe.