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Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas), a forward for the South Korean national football team, shared his emotional thoughts ahead of an away match against his former club, Celtic FC (Scotland).
Oh Hyeon-gyu's club, Besiktas, will play an away game against Celtic FC at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, at 5 a.m. on the 6th (Korean time) in the fourth match of the league phase of the 2026-2027 season UEFA Europa League (UEL).
Besiktas is ranked eighth in this tournament with two wins and one draw (seven points). On the other hand, Celtic FC has fallen to 35th place after losing all three matches (zero points). Besiktas aims to continue its unbeaten streak, while Celtic FC desperately needs to secure its first points.
In particular, this is a special match for Oh Hyeon-gyu because he will face the former club that first welcomed him in Europe.
Prior to this, Scotland's Daily Record reported on Oh Hyeon-gyu's feelings about facing Celtic FC.
Oh Hyeon-gyu said, "First of all, it is truly special to be back here. When I first came, I could not even speak English properly. But everyone here welcomed me like family," adding, "Celtic FC has become like a second home to me."
As he was facing his former club, his emotions were particularly strong. Oh Hyeon-gyu emphasized, "I might be overwhelmed with emotion tomorrow. Of course, I will be happy if I score a goal. But right now, I am a Besiktas player. I will give everything for Besiktas."
He continued, "What should I say? I came here as a young boy with dreams. There were difficult moments and good moments," reflecting, "I made many good memories here. I will always be grateful to the club and the fans."
He then confessed honestly, "If I score a goal, I might cry."
Oh Hyeon-gyu moved to European football by joining Celtic FC in January 2023 after leaving Suwon Samsung. At the time, he took on a new challenge after being selected by manager Ange Postecoglou.
However, competing for a starting spot was not easy. At that time, Celtic FC had formidable competitors, including Japanese national team forward Kyogo Furuhashi. Oh Hyeon-gyu demonstrated his scoring ability despite limited playing time but did not secure a firm place in the starting lineup.
Oh Hyeon-gyu appeared in 47 official matches and scored 12 goals during approximately one year and six months at Celtic FC. However, he started only six matches.
His playing opportunities decreased further under manager Brendan Rodgers. Ultimately, Oh Hyeon-gyu transferred to Belgium's KRC Genk in the summer of 2024 in search of more opportunities.
This choice became a turning point in Oh Hyeon-gyu's football career. As he increased his playing time at Genk, he established his presence by scoring 22 goals in 73 official matches.
Based on such performances, Oh Hyeon-gyu transferred to Turkish powerhouse Besiktas this February. The transfer fee was a whopping 14 million euros (approximately 24 billion won). This was a significantly higher amount than when he left Celtic FC.
He is continuing his scoring streak at Besiktas as well. Oh Hyeon-gyu has scored 12 goals in official matches since joining the club.
In particular, this season in the Europa League, he has appeared in three matches and recorded two goals and one assist. Last month, he also scored a brace to lead his team to a 3-2 victory against Hoffenheim (Germany).
It is truly a triumphant return. Oh Hyeon-gyu, who once left Celtic FC after being pushed out of the starting competition, has now grown into a forward with a transfer fee of 14 million euros and is returning to his former club.
The Daily Record also highlighted his return, stating, "South Korean football star Oh Hyeon-gyu visits Celtic FC as a Besiktas player for the Europa League match."
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
