Celtic Park was absolutely rocking on Wednesday night as the Hoops dismantled Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in their Champions League opener.

From the moment the players stepped onto the pitch, it was clear the famous European atmosphere had returned to Parkhead. The Celtic support were in full voice, creating a cauldron of noise that we are accustomed to, but on a night where the Celtic team matched the fans for sheer desire, it was even louder.

The fans responded to every attack, tackle, and pass, making it feel like one of those classic European nights when teams feared coming to Celtic Park. Liam Scales ignited the crowd with an early goal in the 17th minute, rising high to head Celtic into the lead from a corner. The roar that followed was deafening, and the noise only grew as Kyogo Furuhashi doubled the advantage shortly after the break.

With the match firmly in Celtic’s control, Arne Engels stepped up to convert a penalty in the 56th minute, becoming the first Celtic debutant to score in the Champions League since Henrik Larsson. The fans, already in full voice, erupted even louder as the Slovakian side struggled to keep pace. Even when Kevin Wimmer pulled one back for Bratislava, it did little to dampen the spirits in the stands, as Celtic remained dominant.

Daizen Maeda restored the three-goal cushion with a cool finish in the 70th minute, and the fifth came just before the final whistle, courtesy of Adam Idah. By that point, the crowd knew they were witnessing a comprehensive win—a statement performance to kick off Celtic’s European campaign.

While tougher tests lie ahead in this revamped Champions League format, Wednesday night proved that Celtic are ready to take on the challenge. The atmosphere, combined with an outstanding team performance, shows Celtic Park is still one of the most intimidating venues in European football.