The Debrief: Celtic win the Premiership & Semenyo inspires City

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1:48Welcome to the debrief on what has been a remarkable day of football, that brilliant backheel by Antoine Semenya to win the FA Cup for Manchester City against Chelsea at Wembley. More on that later in the show. The big story of the day is the events in Scotland, here in Glasgow, where Celtic won the Premiership title. They took it from under the noses of Hearts in this pulsating decider in the east end of Glasgow. Hearts took the lead in the first half through their captain, Lauren Shankland. Remember, a draw would have been enough for Hearts. At this point, they're 1-0 up, but then two big VAR checks, pivotal and tipping the game in favour of Celtic.

2:33They went on to win by three goals to one. Conor McNamara then picks things up just after the final whistle amidst some unsavoury scenes. The full-time whistle has blown. Celtic are the champions, but one or two are letting the club down here with reactions to hard players on the pitch. Martin O 'Neill has done it again and in the most dramatic circumstance Hartz who gave it everything sending the goalkeeper up for a late quarter free kick to try and win the game but with no one in goal Osmond scores a goal that will go down in Celtic history and amidst the pitch invasion and amidst the security and the police and the pitch and the crowds trying to escape down the tunnel and the players seeking refuge and some players now being contained and the pandemonium that we knew at one stage or another was somehow going to seep its way into this the game finishes with four goals and it finishes with Celtic winning the title for the 56th time to move ahead of Rangers and I've never seen anything like this yeah it's getting extraordinary, I mean we do want the end of the season to be such a high point, such a buzz Celtic played brilliantly today watched it, kept on going, did what Celtic always do, the vast majority of fans were absolutely fantastic all the way through the game and yes there was excitement and probably I'd say for the third time this season Celtic fans have come on the pitch, but there was hundreds of them this time, even that you can get the tension the attacking hearts players when they're on there it's just not on it's totally and utterly sickeningly unacceptable and don't make excuses for it well done Celtic great, delighted for you winning the league that's a horrible scene then things are calming down now relatively speaking but this is going to keep bubbling you would imagine for some time the day that Celtic found a way they found a way despite a far from perfect campaign.

4:50The dark days under Brendan Rodgers early on when Martin O 'Neill came in and steadied the ship. The disastrous tenure of Wilfred Nancy. More goals conceded than any title winner in the last quarter of a century. As many defeats as any champion in a 38-game season. And yet, Steve Crossman, none of that matters because Celtic win the title and the history books record that they move ahead of Rangers. It is a 56th notch on Celtic's belt of brilliance.

5:32And the sound of Celtic Park is at a decibel level I'm not sure I have ever heard before. for the first time since 1928. Celtic have more league titles than Rangers. The heart of Midlothian has broken. And this season for Celtic that has lurched from crisis to crisis to pain ends with champagne. And Pat Nevid, I'm sorry, I cannot get over the moments as the full-time whistle went when Lauren Shanklin was attacked. Yep. I'm not the only hard player as well. Underlying, brilliant Celtics, fantastic. What spirit, what play from the players, how brilliant Maeda's been at the end of the season, how fitting he scored, what was the crucial goal.

6:32What a magical moment to break away in those last seconds, to put it to bed. everything's sent here to be a fabulous celebration and it is going to be a fabulous celebration here but those scenes yet again, people running on okay you run on but don't get the morons and they are some of them morons going attacking players it's totally unacceptable we've got a bad contract, we've spent a lot of time on that well done Celtic congratulations Celtic they deserved winners of the title you do feel sorry for heart of course you do but that's league titles, that's sport, that's the way it is it was always going to go at last second here in Scotland, we knew that it was an absolute stick on it was no surprise that Celtic won it either they're home ground so yeah it's a great day that when the entire nation stroked continent stroked large parts of the world they're in Scottish football at a glorious moment we saw something ugly and I know exactly what Pat means, Connor, because we were saying just before the game, the eyes and ears of the world are on this.

7:42You know, the LA Times, the Wall Street Journal, they're writing about this game and this occasion. And it ended on the pitch in the most dramatic way possible. But then that happens. And that is going to be, for a lot of people, the image they take away, I think. There is an alternative story that could have been told today. Maybe more of a fairy tale. maybe more of a romantic story maybe one that would have garnered more column inches in the global media but this is Glasgow this is Celtic Park there is a reason why they have won so many titles that ruthlessness on display will be savoured in this city where they don't really care about the global audience it's who has the bragging rights here those scenes in the pitch at the end are dreadful but in terms of the romance, the story you want romance, look at Martin O 'Neill because in the eyes of Celtic fans there is a living day saint just walking down the tunnel he's somehow done it again I've never seen a 74 year old move like that he's just done a quick turn Martin O 'Neill because somebody threw a Celtic scarf in his direction he dodged back, grabbed it, punched the air and held it aloft and now we can see that the stage is being brought out where that trophy will be presented.

9:07Kenny Crawford has just rejoined us as well. Kenny, as I've just been saying, in a second we will be all over Celtic and their achievement. What we saw is nothing to do with the players on the pitch. It's not the fault of the vast, vast majority of Celtic fans, but seeing what happened to Lauren Shankland and some of the other Hearts players, that will leave a real sour taste for a lot of neutral fans. Yeah, that's not what we want to see at all, but something we do want to see is the kind of moment that there was for Callum Osmond there. Just to give a little bit further context, Callum Osmond was playing for Celtic just before Christmas in a Champions League match, a European match, and he pulled up with a hamstring injury just as he was breaking into the scene at Celtic.

9:50He was in tears as he had to be subbed off that night. His Celtic start was finished just as soon as it had started. then he's the man who gets to run up the other end of the pitch today and put that ball into an empty net, just 20 years old. I think he's from the Channel Islands, and what a moment for him. The tears of despair before Christmas, I'm sure, have turned into tears of joy for him. And for him to play such a key part in that, it's just wonderful. Pat Nevin, let's talk about this Celtic achievement then, and especially you have to start with Martin O 'Neill, who ran down the tunnel.

10:24I do hope he's coming back. he will do, don't worry about that. You might be putting a suit on, you never know. Now, it is extraordinary. During the commentary, we were saying, if anything's likely to win, it's likely to be Celtic. Don't ever give up on them until the last seconds, because they've got that in their DNA to keep on going. And that Celtic part, I've been here, man and boy, for decades, watching this story. Turned up time and time and time again. And yes, they did it again today. The fight, the battle, the belief, but on top of that well done the manager because you had to get everything right, you had to make the right changes, he did make all the right changes, got the right spirit within the group, got the right spirit within the fan base as well who turned on the club to some degree well they weren't there, they hadn't turned on the club today, had they?

11:15It was incredible how much they in these stands got behind their team and drove them on to that win that they needed to get Now the scenes of celebration on the pitch and in the stands. Some of the Celtic players are making their way towards us. They're dancing up and down. They're almost conductors for 60 ,000 Celtic supporters. As I look to my right, it was ever thus on a cup final day, and this has been a cup final day. All of the Hearts fans have disappeared. The maroon shirts have gone. Well, they'll be thinking back to the number 86 for two reasons. 86 was on the clock when Dyson Maeda's shot hit the back of the net 1986 was the year that Hearts lost at Dundee on the final day and lost the title on goal difference for so long this season, for so long this afternoon it looked so clear that Hearts felt like they'd get over the line Celtic were creating chances But the goalkeeper, Shvolov, was not having save after save after save to make.

12:23But Conor, it just turned. It turned when Iheanacho hit the post. And all of a sudden, it was a green and white tie. It's just been an incredible afternoon. Nobody's left the stadium. Celtic fans, they were confident coming here today. But as you said, for such long stretches of the afternoon, this was Hart's title and Celtic have had to dig into that muscle memory the way they have achieved it so many times Goliath beat David today you know, despite the scare despite that weight of history that could have just tilted in the balance of hearts Celtic flexed that muscle and they have delivered and you know Shanklin's goal how quickly it felt like about a minute later that the penalty was awarded down the other end.

13:16Hearts never settles into that lead. And I think the timing of that equaliser just as important as anything else today. And then once they made it 2-1 in the second half, I think it was over then. The third goal was just the moment to save her. That will be a moment that Celtic fans live over and over again. But in truth, this contest had been decided by then. Well, the pitch is empty of players for now, but it won't be for very long. I'm sure Martin O 'Neill is just getting ready. I have imagined when the Celtic players emerge, they'll have the pre-prepared T-shirts with Celtic champions. Maybe it'll say 56 times on it.

13:55We'll see. They'll have come in maroon as well. There'll be Hearts T-shirts in cardboard boxes. They said champions 2026, which we'll never, ever see the light of day. There's a pitch announcer down there, ready to bring back the players onto the pitch. every eye and every lens inside Celtic Park is on that tunnel. When Maeda scored, Pat, it wasn't just this stadium that shook, but it did. It was the east end of Glasgow that shook. It was Scottish football that shook. And it was extraordinary. Sometimes there's a story, and it's not a story you're always expecting, but you cannot expect it at some point Maeda was having an effect today a big effect in this game he's had such a brilliant end to the season for Chelsea he has just turned it on and by the way don't ignore the fact that once they got that 2-1 up Maeda was back at left back chasing back constantly to make sure that there was nothing done that could get him off the headline so yeah he's done a brilliant job as well for every single Celtic player the guys that won't be noticed as much it's the likes of Scales and trusted centre-backs they gave hearts very, very few chances today, you know the simple stuff of having to do the ugly stuff with defenders, they've done it brilliantly well, but you will keep on going back and back and back Martin O 'Neill, when he took over again for the second time you couldn't have dreamed that this could be happening today, and not even Martin O 'Neill I suspect would have expected it, he has brought Celtic back back looking like Celtic football for you the ultimate photo finish for Scottish football not won by a head or a nose but won by a hair by Celtic this afternoon Kenny Crawford let's bring you back in here as we wait for the Celtic players to retake the field, any chance people will be saying Martin O 'Neill one more year?

15:58Exactly, he said when he finished his first interim spell when Wilfred Nantes was going to come in it had been a nice little journey who knew he was going to be coming back again after that fateful spell by Nancy to take the reins once more and he's now won 19 league games in his spell drawn two league games and lost two league games what a brilliant way to go about his business and it could have been so much clearer for Celtic the title win if he had been in that whole time Nancy I think had eight games in charge and those were not profitable games for him but Martin O 'Neill as if he couldn't do anything else better he's just topped it all off with this well let's get a bit of reaction then shall we down pitch side we can hear from Luke McCowan who's been speaking to Brian McLaughlin what a game do you always believe always especially this season how bad things got at a point this group are just something special to bounce back with that every single person in this country counted us out and we never counted ourselves out so I'm so proud of them the guys on the pitch today I didn't get to play my part today, but they were amazing.

17:06Played with heart, played with composure, everything. So I'm so, so happy for the players, the staff, and this amazing club. It's just brilliant. And it's hard not to get emotional. It's just amazing. To actually get to this stage, though, has been quite remarkable, hasn't it? Because many were doubting that Celtic would actually make it to this last game. Yeah, and probably understandable. I mean, we went through stages of this season where there were just such inconsistent results. And on the last 17, 18 games, I think we lost one. and I said it before and I said it again when we look at our best and if they touches us and I'll stick by that and I'll back our players every single day of the week and it's just a bit new enjoying the night and then moving on to Saturday as well when we've got another cup final thank you very much we appreciate it Luke McCowan down there with Brian McLaughlin so we've got Kenny Crawford and Connor McNamara and as we look around Celtic Park 60 ,000 and not one person is left Exactly, I'm trying to think about that Celtic dressing room just now, they probably put their celebratory T-shirts on before they come back out, they must have just slumped down and thought, I can't believe we've done it.

18:12And then in the contrast, you think about the Hearts dressing room, they led for so much of the season, they'll be slumped in a totally different way. I can't believe that in the 86th minute they were winning the league, and then in the 87th minute it was Celtic winning the league. Just an unbelievable season of twists and turns, and it's been so good to have the spotlight in Scottish football for this season. So much more exciting towards the end than it normally is. And I hope for Hearts that they can take the encouragement that they ran Celtic and Rangers so close and put Rangers, eliminated them out of it towards the end for the next few seasons.

18:46Tony Bloom, when he came in, said he wanted to rival Rangers and Celtic. They certainly did that. Yeah, Connor, this is the right moment just to really give Hearts their due as we wait for Celtic to celebrate the title. Had Hearts got over the line, they would have been getting the trophy. The maroon ribbons would have been attached and we would have seen that here at Celtic Park for the likes of Lauren Shanklin, for the likes of Derek McInnes, for everyone here and back in Edinburgh who wears maroon. I mean, all right, Celtic fans won't care for them. Hibs fans won't care for them, but everybody else will have something in the throat for Hearts.

19:20There are Hearts fans in Edinburgh who've waited their whole lives for today. this is not the outcome they wanted they fear it may not happen again in their lifetime but it does feel a club that's made some very strong decisions lately the way the club has been run, the way their recruitment who knows, Hearts could be back battling for this, maybe it won't be another 40 years before the top two old firm clubs get challenged to the pinnacle of Scottish football but that shadow of 1986 still lingers and Hearts know they gave it everything here and sometimes if you make the mistake if you're not good enough that can hurt more they won't feel it now Steve but they can leave with their heads high they gave this season everything the minuscule budget compared to the side that's beaten them here for the badge, for the club, for the supporters Hearts need to be proud it'll take a few days to feel that way though because this as all sport does when it doesn't go your way will really, really sting.

20:24So the dust has settled on another Celtic Scottish Premiership title. The scepticism around VAR in the game from some quarters, no doubt, will continue. That said, the goal for Maeda, the key goal, was disallowed on the pitch. It was clearly onside. So without VAR, certainly that would have been a decision, an incorrect decision that would have stood. Anyway, let's hear from the man who's masterminded, Celtic's 56th Scottish League title. Martin O 'Neill, who spoke on the Celtic Park pitch during the celebrations. I must admit, I never, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I could experience those lads up there in O 'Clocking.

21:08And the atmosphere, it's just... So, the players, the coaching staff have given me a reason to live as much as... And... APPLAUSE

21:27That's not to say my family haven't, you know. But this is the most special place on Earth. I think that... APPLAUSE

21:43When there is absolute unison in this stadium, it is a sight to behold. And I think...

21:55Obviously, the players have been absolutely magnificent, epitomised by the captain, but overall, we could not have won it without you. Absolutely not.

22:19BBC Radio 5 Live. Patrick Kielsey. Stumble in your way into Saturday mornings with great guests. Good morning, Jimmy Nesbitt. Good morning, Apatty. You're terrible. Kids taking down commentators. You've wiped the floor with our commentator key. And how does it feel? It feels nice. Football chants from the gods. Take me home. I did wrong. And the less said about the host, the better. Patrick Kielsey. Saturdays from 9. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily Podcast, The Debrief. With Steve Crossman. All right, let's move on to the FA Cup final at Wembley. Eighth win for Manchester City on his 24th trip to England's National Stadium.

23:05Crikey. Pep Guardiola won for the ninth time as a player and manager at City's third FA Cup under Pep Guardiola. They have a double this season, if you like, because, of course, they won the League Cup as well. Here's correspondent John Murray.

23:18Ian Dennis:Yes, the military have just delivered the FA Cup to the plinth in front of the Prince of Wales and salutes were exchanged there. So it sits there above our level, out of our sight. It's on the next level up with the sky blue ribbons on it, fluttering once again. It might not be a wild and frenzied trophy presentation, this one, but I think it will be emotional because it will be Bernardo Silva who will be receiving the trophy in the final days now of his Manchester City career. This excellent 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder who today has played his 458th match in a Manchester City shirt. So he will finish eighth on the Manchester City appearance list.

24:09Ian Dennis:You know, that's the entire history of the club. just in front of Mike Somerby, just behind Tommy Booth. That, Paul Robinson, that is a career. Well, he's going to leave a hole, isn't he? I mean, he's slight in size, but he's going to leave... I was going to say, quite a small hole. A hole nevertheless. Yeah, but he's going to leave a huge cavity in the middle of that Manchester City team. But Pep seems to rejuvenate his teams, regenerate his teams. And what we spoke about there, the signings of Gaye and Semenyo in January, is just another example of that. And they'll have to do that again next season because Silva has been such a big part of this team.

24:41Ian Dennis:And a classy touch as well. I noticed just before they set up up the Wembley steps, he saw Cole Palmer and Liam De Lapp, two of his former teammates, coming down and went across and had a word with them, Bernardo Silva. And now they're gathered here as they do on our level, which is the top of the lowest level of Wembley Stadium. Manchester City fans have stayed, you know, looking out from where we sit here. One half sky blue, the other mainly empty red seats. Some Chelsea supporters have stayed back And actually the Chelsea squad is all down there as well, preparing to give their applause to Manchester City in the time-honoured sporting way.

25:20Ian Dennis:So the Manchester City squad begins to set off now up the steps. Pep Guardiola is leading them up there. So he will be first along the line. And as I look through the various railings and across the heads of people, I can see lots of smiling faces in the Manchester City squad, and it's a very satisfied smile on the face of Pep Guardiola, going to be part of the trophy celebration on the balcony at Wembley in his cream roll-neck sweater. It's been that sort of day at Wembley, it's not the classic sweltering FA Cup final day, and he leans forward and the Prince of Wales puts the ribbon with the golden medal around his neck and then of course the rest of the Manchester City players follow along the line and Antoine Semenyo, the man who scored the goal I think the Prince of Wales has just said something along the lines of what a goal that was to him as he received his medal they're wearing the special shirts they're Manchester City shirts but they have written on them in golden numbers 26 for the year and winners at the top and I see Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola exchanging a word or two as well, remember how Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea won against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the Champions League final in Porto in 2021 that was and remains the last time that Chelsea have beaten Manchester City so the City players and all of the various substitutes and squad members are in place now and we're waiting for the moment when one of the great trophies of sport will be handed to the winners the FA Cup trophy itself and John Stones and Bernardo Silva who are both leaving City after such great service John Stones he didn't get under the pitch here today it looks as though the two of them will be lifting the FA Cup together if I am right.

27:31Ian Dennis:So they're waiting at the back of the line, smiles bows, John Stones comes across, he gets a hug from Debbie Hewitt, who's been handing the medals to the Prince of Wales, it goes around his neck, and here's Bernardo Silva now, so the Manchester City captain in his final season, the Prince of Wales just tugs his jacket together, Bernardo Silva actually says, gets a word as well from Khaldun Al Mubarak, the Manchester City chairman, and reaches across as well to the various other officials there. And now we're ready for the moment where the FA Cup is presented to the winning team. And in 2026, it is Pep Guardiola's Manchester City team, led by Bernardo Silva.

28:13Ian Dennis:And the players just squeeze together up there in that narrow space on the balcony. And it is going to be John Stones with one hand, Bernardo Silva with the other handle. and together, Bernardo Silva and John Stones lift the FA Cup at Wembley for Manchester City.

28:38Ian Dennis:And the ticker tape rains down on all of these supporters down in front of us. City cheers go up around half of Wembley Stadium and yet again, the sky blue flags are waving inside Wembley Stadium as Manchester City win the FA Cup for the eighth time. Now, only Arsenal and Manchester United have won it more times than Manchester City. And Pep Guardiola will be getting his hands on it very shortly. The third time they've won it under Pep Guardiola. Whether this is heading towards the end of the story for Guardiola and Manchester City right now, sitting here in Wembley we don't know but for Guardiola now League Cup winners in 2026, FA Cup winners in 2026 and under Guardiola in his 10 years the running tally is now six Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, five League Cups, a Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup, a FIFA Club World Cup and throw in three community shields as well.

29:49Ian Dennis:What a role of honour that is for Guardiola as one of the greats of the game. Manchester City, winners of the FA Cup against Chelsea. And Paul Robinson, I was just looking at Pep Guardiola's face then, and he's now walking down. In fact, he's probably just outside your window right now. He is right outside the window. Can you see us? Absolutely correct. He is right outside the window here. and it's Kashmir, I can tell you that because I can see it closer, his roll neck and his brown trousers have got a nice check to them as well, and he is standing there, Manchester City supporters just in front of us, shouting out to him, he gives them a little wave and he's just waiting for the other Manchester City players, the final ones now coming down the steps, here's Bernardo Silva, and he turns here, he's just waiting to be told what to do, the golden medal bouncing off the cashmere and down he goes now in front of us and here's Antoine Semenyo there's the FA Cup as well Tajani Rinders has got it in his hands and listen to this this is Manchester City and their players dancing down the steps of Wembley Stadium with the FA Cup in their hands Lovely, well Pep said before the game Paul and I will paraphrase here because it doesn't quite make it for radio he said I've been fun I've been flipping fun looking at him, looking in his eyes there he just looked like someone who was thinking this never gets old and people will talk about his future but he never gets bored of winning Well listen to that record what John's just read out there it's actually incredible isn't it I mean this is a club now that's been ingrained with winning trophies it's a regular you know they're here at Wembley so often now and they've become a superpower thanks to him you look at the investment that the club's had and yes you can talk about the off-field events but somebody has to put a team together year in and year out and he's been able to do that on a regular basis and have them competing at the top of the English Premier League and across Europe for a number of seasons now and you talk about the hole that Bernardo Silva and Lee when Pep Guardiola ever does decide to leave Manchester City it will be a ginormous hole that they have to fill and do you know that mentality Steve that you're talking about is that he said to the players there'll be a short celebration tonight they're not staying over in London they're going to travel back to the North West and then they're going to focus on Tuesday's trip to Bournemouth.

32:12That winning mentality is ingrained in him. All right, let's get reaction from both camps, shall we? First, Mark Chapman with the match winner, Antoine Semenya, and then Chelsea interim coach Callum McFarlane with Mas Faruqi.

32:23Ian Dennis:Antoine, congratulations. These three have been trying to analyse your finish. What I'm interested in, they talk about practice in training. Have you been practising that backheel in training? It's happened a couple of times in training. Has it? I have to improvise. It happened perfectly today. was behind me and as long as I got contact on there and it was towards goal I was hoping it would go in. Just in the build up to it it looked like you thought you might make the run and Haaland go inside and then you checked and let Haaland make the run. Yeah I know, everything happened so fast to be honest but when you got the ball I just wanted to make the box, make sure I'm a presence, see what would happen and it came straight to me and just had to improvise as quick as I can and I'm happy with the finish, grateful.

33:00How does it feel to score the winning goal FA Cup final from January moving to Man City and then scored a winning goal at Wembley for the final? I feel surreal, to be honest. I don't even have words to describe. Obviously, I've never competed for trophies like this before, so everything's just so new to me now. I'm enjoying every day, enjoying all these trophies, and hopefully we can finish off the job by the end of the season, hopefully.

33:25Ian Dennis:These two are trophies again, but let's show you your goal, shall we? I don't know how many times you've actually managed to see it. Yeah, but you had Levi Conwell as well right next to you, didn't you? Yeah, no I did. He was real close, a lot of contact but again, it was behind me, I just needed to get contact on it towards the goal and yeah, it was good enough contact, timed perfectly and Sanchez couldn't get there. Yeah, I'm happy with that. It's a good finish. You look like you're in a bit of shock yourself as you see this. You know, this is the second time I've watched it back so yeah, but no, it's a good finish, it's a good finish, I can't lie.