“I have learned a lot and will do well this season,” Sebastian Tounekti
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Sebastian Tounekti has had a few highlights so far in his short time at the club, but one that sticks out for me is his superb goal that kickstarted last season’s memorable comeback win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park…
15th February 2026; Rugby Park, Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock versus Celtic; Sebastian Tounekti of Celtic celebrates after he shoots and scores in the 56th minute to make it 2-1 to Kilmarnock. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou
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That win at Rugby Park was typical of Celtic’s season, in that we had to fight back after looking like all was lost on the day.
Tounekti who signed last September for £5 million is back at Rugby Park for this afternoon’s Scottish Premiership clash, and if given the nod either as a starter or from the bench, he will be looking to impress after an inconsistent first campaign at Celtic.
The Tunisian now has the experience of a full season in Scotland behind him, feels he fully knows the club and the expectations involved and is ready to prove that he’s worthy of a starting spot in Martin O’Neill’s squad.
“Maybe people forget that you don’t really know what kind of club you’re coming to,” Tounekti said, as reported by The Scotsman.
“Of course, you know the history and how massive the club is. But you have to be here and feel it to really know the size of the club and the expectations.
“For me, last season was a lot of ups and downs. I got the feeling of the club and the meaning of the club. I’m really positive for the season now and confident I have learned a lot and will do well this season.”
15th February 2026; Rugby Park, Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock versus Celtic; Sebastian Tounekti of Celtic celebrates after he shoots and scores in the 56th minute to make it 2-1 to Kilmarnock. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou
Just 17, you know what I mean?
Sebastian also explained why he chose the number 17 as his preferred squad number.
“I wanted the number because it was one of my first numbers as a professional player. I try to have it at new clubs but, if it’s taken, I can do nothing about it. I saw he (Kelechi Iheanacho) was not coming back so I asked Shaun and Fozzy and the gaffer if it was possible to have the 17. They said it was no issue at all. I prefer that one.”
Tounekti on his World Cup experience
Seb didn’t have his preferred number when he represented Tunisia in what was a disappointing tournament for both the player and his country, as the Tunisians crashed out winless in the groups stages, and even binned manager Sabri Lamouchi after a heavy opening defeat by Sweden.
But despite the disappointment, the Celtic winger stated that he benefited from the overall experience.
“It was a great experience,” admitted Tounekti. “The results were not the best but the experience was really nice. I got some weeks off after the World Cup and that was nice, too.
“Changing manager was quite strange. All of the players in the squad agreed on it. We were not so happy and it was strange. We had to make the most of it and try to get a result in the two other games, but we didn’t manage that.
“You want to play in these tournaments and it’s a long time till the next World Cup. I can’t think about that. You want to be involved and I’d love to be involved again if possible.”
Focus now on playing for Celtic
Now it’s all about Celtic, and Sebastian Tounekti will be aiming to make an impact in the hoops, starting today at Rugby Park.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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