Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - Second Leg - Kairat v Celtic - Ortalyk Stadion, Almaty, Kazakhstan - August 27, 2025 Kairat's Jorginho and teammates celebrate after winning the penalty shootout and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev
ALMATY, Kazakhstan (Reuters) -Former European champions Celtic exited the Champions League in the qualifiers after a 3-2 penalty shootout defeat at Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty on Tuesday, following two goalless legs in the playoff tie.
Kairat will compete in the competition proper for the first time, while Norway’s Bodo/Glimt and Cyprus’s Pafos also secured debut appearances after coming through the playoffs.
