Ajax Dismantle Celtic 5-1 in Ruthless Pre-Season Friendly at Como Cup

Ajax Run Riot Over Celtic in Italy

Pre-season friendlies usually offer a chance for managers to test out tactics and give new faces some minutes, but Ajax took it as an opportunity to flex their muscle. Meeting at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia for the Como Cup, the Dutch giants tore through Celtic 5-1, exposing a shaky Scottish defense and raising questions around Brendan Rodgers’ plans for the upcoming season.

Steven Berghuis quickly set the tone for Ajax, netting twice—first in the 16th minute, then again just before the hour mark. Davy Klaassen picked up a goal right after halftime, putting Celtic on the back foot while Aaron Bouwman and Rayane Bounida closed out the scoring late, making sure Ajax’s dominance went unchallenged.

Celtic fans hoping for a response saw glimpses of promise. Yang Hyun-Jun stood out, both scoring Celtic’s only goal and rattling the crossbar in one of the team’s best efforts. Unfortunately, most of Celtic’s attacking play ended in frustration, with Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda seeing their shots either blocked or smartly stopped by Vítezslav Jaros, Ajax’s alert young keeper.

Celtic Stagger in the Heat as Ajax’s Depth Shines

Rodgers stuck largely to his preferred starting lineup but found his defense constantly stretched by Ajax’s pace and creativity. The Dutch side’s first eleven included regulars like Brian Brobbey and Kenneth Taylor, giving the game a competitive edge even if the stakes were low. On the opposite end, Celtic’s backline had no answers for the slick passing and movement coming their way.

The game was peppered with substitutions, giving fringe players and academy prospects a shot to impress. For Ajax, backup goalkeeper Remko Pasveer and up-and-comer Gaku Nawata entered the fray, yet the intensity barely dropped—instead, Ajax’s ruthlessness showed just how deep their squad goes. The match had a brief unscheduled pause just before full-time, but nothing could slow Ajax’s momentum.

While friendly games aren’t always about results, the gulf in sharpness was hard to ignore here. Ajax looked ready to hit the ground running next season, while Celtic’s staff left with plenty of work to do, especially at the back. And with Europe’s top competitions looming, Celtic will be hoping this heavy defeat serves as a timely wake-up call—not just another painful memory from the pre-season tour.