On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Celtic on this Day…Notable Celtic wins over Benfica, Rangers and Aberdeen…
12 November 1969, Celtic 3-0 Benfica
Jock Stein’s side had suffered their third league defeat of the season in a 2-0 loss to Hearts three days prior to their European Cup second round clash with Benfica. Amongst the Portuguese ranks was none other than Eusebio who failed to make an impact at Celtic Park.
Although the stunning result through goals from Gemmell, Wallace and Hood got people talking about another potential European Cup triumph, few commentators anticipated this encounter would be Celtic’s third match of nine on the continent as they embarked on an historic run to Milan.
Also playing for Benfica was Artur Jorge who had been heavily linked with a managerial gig with Celtic in 1997 following the departure of Tommy Burns. Famously, Stein’s men lost 3-0 in the return leg in Lisbon but won the coin toss. Subsequently, a third round tie with Fiorentina in four months time awaited the Scottish champions.
Not the best video unfortunately…
Not the best video unfortunately…
12 November 1988, Celtic 3-1 Rangers
Coming into the 15th league encounter of the season, Celtic had been beaten in four of their opening 14 matches at the start of the 1988/1989 campaign. Despite the wave of optimism following a league and cup double Centenary season, Billy McNeill’s side exited the Scottish League Cup in August, and the European Cup three days before the clash with Rangers at Celtic Park.
The win versus Graeme Souness’ over-confident side gave the Hoops support a much-needed lift after a turbulent start across all competitions. Terry Butcher’s spectacular diving header gave Celtic an equaliser 10 minutes after Mark Walters had opened the scoring from the penalty spot. Celtic recovered with Mark McGhee and Billy Stark’s first half strikes sealing the points. Famously, after the game, a fire in the main stand caused the destruction of over 300 seats.
12 November 1977, Celtic 1-1 Rangers
47 years ago today, Celtic 1-1 Rangers. History is not kind when analysing Celtic’s 1977/1978 campaign. A victory against Rangers may have proved to be a turning point, but a draw was enough to satisfy Jock Wallace’s side who would narrowly clinch the league championship ahead of Aberdeen at the end of the season.
Tom McAdam’s equaliser in the second half was not the only talking point in this Old Firm affair. Referee Eddie Thompson denied the awarding of a clear Celtic penalty whilst also disallowing a perfectly fine McAdam goal. This angered Stein and his players who could not comprehend the decision-making of the controversial official.
12 November 2023, Celtic 6-0 Aberdeen
Brendan Rodgers side had themselves came off the back of a 6-0 thumping defeat at the Wanda Metrapolitano against Atletico Madrid during the week in the Champions League. Having been in the Spanish capital myself personally, the feeling heading into this match had been one of apathy.
Collectively, the Celtic support had become fed up with the continuous humiliation on the continent. However, the Hoops responded by dismantling Barry Robson’s dismal Dons, and as a result climbed eight points clear of theRangers at the foot of the Scottish Premiership table.
There were five different scorers, two of which are no longer at the club. Yang, Kyogo, Palma, Turnbull and a double from Oh secured Celtic a comfortable league victory and meant that it had been 50 home league matches without a loss. A run which would come to end two home matches later against Hearts in December.
Conor Spence
More must-reads:
- Three Premier League dark horses to watch in 2025-26
- Goalkeeper saving season for sizzling Charlotte FC
- The 'American League WAR leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
European giants seeking around £60m for Samba star, Tottenham to make improved bid
Tottenham plan to make an improved bid after seeing their opening £43m proposal rejected for Manchester City winger Savinho With less than a week left for the new season to commence, Tottenham Hotspur still have some big hopes to fill in the squad. Son Heung-min called time on his Spurs career after a successful decade-long stint. The 33-year-old also went out on a high after captaining the North London club to the Europa League success last season. Now, Thomas Frank will be hoping that Daniel Levy and Johan Lange can bring in a player that can fill out the void left behind by the South Korea international. In an expected turn of events, Tottenham have held talks with Manchester City over the possible signing of Savinho. The Sky Blues are not actively looking to sell the Brazil international, given how he showed glimpses of his potential in his debut campaign. However, the player is understood to be open to a switch to Spurs perhaps after seeing his current employers sign highly-rated attacker Rayan Cherki from Lyon earlier this summer. It was reported that a deal for Savinho can be struck in the region of €50 million. However, Manchester City are asking significantly more than that fee. Manchester City want around £60m for Savinho According to a report from The Daily Mail, Man City want around £60m to part ways with Savinho this summer. Tottenham are expected to return with an improved offer for the South American attacker, after having an opening £43m proposal rejected. Savinho is believed to have grown frustrated by his inconsistent role in Pep Guardiola’s team and has shown inclination towards joining the Lilywhites. Spurs are now stepping up their efforts to land the 21-year-old, as evidenced by their intent to return with an improved second bid. The Brazilian’s openness to join Tottenham shows that he is apparently convinced with the project at the club spearheaded by new boss Thomas Frank. £60m steep for Savinho…but could be worth it in the long run City changing their transfer valuation of Savinho is not bizarre. Spurs’ eagerness to strike a deal by offering £43m as their first proposal perhaps gave their transfer chiefs an idea that they can squeeze in more millions, considering we are in desperate need of multiple new signings in the window’s closing weeks after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and the serious knee injury to James Maddison. The Sky Blues have now set a £60m valuation, which is steep for someone who has played just one season of Premier League football thus far. However, it is worth remembering that Savinho is still only 21 and has a lot of room to grow. Despite being new to the league, he bagged 10 assists and was City’s creator-in-chief. So, purely going by his talent and sky-high potential, paying £60m for Savinho may appear a lot now but over the next few years it would be a valuable investment.
Celtics' ownership move should concern Lakers governor Jeanie Buss
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is supposed to remain in charge of the team for years even after the sale. Given what just happened with the Boston Celtics, it might only be months. When the Grousbeck family sold the Celtics for $6.1B in March, ESPN reported that Wyc Grousbeck would stay on as the Celtics CEO and governor through the 2027-28 season. Now, new owner Bill Chisholm will take over once the sale is final. That should concern current Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss, whose family sold a majority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers to investor Mark Walter. Buss is supposed to stay on as team governor for "at least a number of years," according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, but new NBA owners haven't been keen on waiting to take control of teams recently. Mark Cuban thought he would continue running the Dallas Mavericks when he sold a controlling interest to the Adelson family in November 2023. Before the end of that season, when Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals, new team governor Patrick Dumont, the son-in-law of Miriam Adelson, was firmly in charge. General manager Nico Harrison reported directly to Dumont, which is how Luka Doncic ended up traded to the Lakers despite Cuban's objections. It might be different with the Lakers. Walter has owned a minority share in the Lakers since 2021, so he's had a working relationship with Buss. Her role as team governor may be a condition of the sale itself. With the team preparing for a long-term future with Doncic, Walter and his fellow owners might opt for continuity in the team governor role. But in general, people do not spend billions of dollars on a professional sports team so that someone else can be in charge. Buss is in charge of the Lakers now. Recent history says she won't be for long.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Makes Direct Statement About Mason Rudolph's Spot On QB Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have quite an interesting quarterback room for the 2025 season. Of course, all the focus is truly on Aaron Rodgers and what he can bring to the team at this stage in his career. Behind him, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph serving as the primary backup. Skylar Thompson and Will Howard are competing for the third spot on the depth chart, but unfortunately for Howard, an injury has slowed his progress. Thompson took advantage of the opportunity, performing well in the first preseason game and possibly reclaiming the QB3 role. Before his injury, Howard had previously moved ahead of Thompson in the competition. Former teammate of Rudolph, Ben Roethlisberger, recently shared his honest thoughts about the veteran quarterback’s performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Roethlisberger, who spent years with Rudolph during his time in Pittsburgh, had a unique perspective on how his former understudy handled the game. While Roethlisberger acknowledged there were some areas where Rudolph could improve, he also praised his composure, decision-making, and ability to move the offense when needed. Roethlisberger discussed Rudolph’s performance on his Footbahlin podcast, noting that the veteran looked confident and in control despite limited opportunities. "You know I thought Mason [Rudolph] played really well," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "I thought he did exactly what you would hope to see from your backup quarterback. He went out there I think, he solidified himself… as the two." He pointed out that Rudolph’s familiarity with the Steelers’ system allows him to step in without disrupting the flow of the offense. With Rodgers leading the way, Rudolph providing a steady backup presence, and the QB3 competition between Thompson and Howard continuing, the Steelers’ quarterback depth will be a storyline worth following as the 2025 season approaches. "Let’s see how he does this week and the next week," Roethlisberger said. "I thought he played really well. I thought he was efficient with the ball. He threw the ball down the field. As a team, you like seeing that because that gives you confidence going into the season that if something were to happen one game for Aaron… you have a guy that you feel confident who could go in there. Same thing when we had Charlie Batch, you had Bruce Gradkowski, you had Byron Leftwich, you had Dennis Dixon and Josh Dobbs. Any of those guys. You just feel confident he can go in and just get it done for you." Roethlisberger had high praise for Rudolph, and hearing him mention him alongside names like Charlie Batch shows he has faith in Rudolph’s ability to be a reliable backup in Pittsburgh. There is a strong argument that Rudolph is one of the most dependable backup quarterbacks in the NFL, which is a significant asset for the Steelers in the 2025 season. Steelers' Mason Rudolph Has Great Preseason Game Versus Jaguars Rudolph only attempted 10 passes on Saturday night against the Jaguars, but completed 90 percent of them. He threw for 84 yards and one touchdown. While preseason football can be difficult to evaluate, he performed well in roughly a quarter and some change of action. His efficiency and composure reinforced the notion that the Steelers have one of the league’s most steady and trustworthy backup quarterbacks heading into the regular season. Roethlisberger is confident Rudolph has now locked up his spot as QB2 for the 2025 season. Steelers fans are now super eager to get updates on when Howard will be back from his injury. Howard and Thompson will fight for the QB3 spot. What grade would you give Rudolph for his preseason outing against the Jaguars?
The Commanders should take a flyer on this former third-round pick who just became available to improve a major team need
Dan Quinn said in a press conference recently that the Washington Commanders will always be willing to add to its roster if it helps improve certain positions. That same day, they hosted 14 players for workouts and signed three of them. The Commanders are likely not done moving pieces around and trying out players, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they took a look at a player that just became available. Adam Peters should take a flyer on former third-round pick Brian Asamoah II to improve the depth at linebacker and possibly more. Recent moves showed their opinions on the position The team wasted no time moving on from LB Dominique Hampton, who was a recent fifth-round pick of Peters after just one preseason game. Hampton was a liability at LB, and the team needed more flexibility on special teams as well. The next corresponding move made was the signing of veteran LB Duke Riley, who directly replaces Hampton and can play both sides. Riley is 31 years old, though, and no one is sure if he will actually stick on the roster. It wouldn't surprise me if the team added more options as roster cuts start making players available, like Asamoah II, who was released by the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday. Asamoah II was drafted by the Vikings with the 66th overall pick back in 2022, but never could carve out a sustainable role on the defense. He's only played a total of 70 snaps on defense over the last two seasons after falling down the depth chart, but he's still only 25 years old. Maybe learning behind Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner could go a long way in his development. He also fits the mold of what Peters looks for as a freak athlete who had an 8.90 Relative Athletic Score when he was working out for the NFL draft. The potential has always been there for Asamoah II. Jordan Magee is still hurt, and Nick Bellore is 36 years old and only plays on special teams. Riley is the next man up with rookie Kain Medrano, so the depth is a major weak point of the defense right now, and they also need someone who can be versatile on special teams. Asamoah II did have a major role on special teams for the Vikings though, and he logged almost 800 snaps on that side of the ball over the last three seasons. The special teams efforts in the first preseason game showed that they need some backup help as well. The Commanders have a real roster need at backup linebacker as well as special teams tacklers, and Asamoah II could provide both while the young project continues to develop. Keep an eye on the Commanders making more changes before the season starts.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
