The Europa League chapter is closed for Celtic, and what follows could either cement their season as a success or expose a squad that has been under siege for months. Over the next two weeks, the picture will become dramatically clearer.
By the time mid-March arrives, Celtic could find themselves surging in the Scottish Premiership title race and through to the Scottish Cup semi-finals. Equally, they could be scrambling to keep their title defence alive while confronting the very real prospect of an empty trophy cabinet come May.
It all begins at Ibrox this Sunday, where a Glasgow derby of enormous consequence awaits. Celtic go into it two points behind Rangers, though with a game in hand, while Hearts sit six points clear of the reigning champions. The mathematics are manageable, but the schedule is brutal. After the trip across the city, Celtic face a midweek journey to Aberdeen, a return to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final, and then a home clash against an in-form Motherwell side. Six of their next seven fixtures are away from Celtic Park — hardly the conditions a squad already running on fumes would choose.
Former Celtic defender Johann Mjallby captured the mood well when he noted that this title race could easily go to the final day, but warned that Celtic must find consistency immediately. “You have to be relentless,” he said, “otherwise they won’t take the trophies.”
Stuttgart Win Opens a Debate
The 1-0 victory in Germany against Stuttgart — a result rendered bittersweet given the 4-1 home defeat in the first leg had already ended Celtic’s Europa League ambitions — nonetheless offered something genuinely useful: a selection headache for Martin O’Neill, and a timely reminder that the squad has more depth than its critics have given it credit for.
O’Neill made eight changes to his starting lineup and several fringe players seized their opportunity. Luke McCowan settled nerves inside 30 seconds with the only goal, and defenders Dane Murray and Marcelo Sarrachi impressed in a disciplined rearguard display. Murray, composed in the air and alert to danger, made a compelling case to partner Liam Scales at the back while Auston Trusty serves a three-game suspension.
But the conversation after the final whistle was dominated by one name: Viljami Sinisalo. The 26-year-old Finnish goalkeeper, deputising for the scrutinised Kasper Schmeichel, produced six saves and barely put a foot wrong throughout. Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov called it a “perfect” performance. Pat Bonner, himself a Celtic goalkeeping legend, was equally effusive, arguing that Sinisalo had done enough to start against Rangers and should be given an extended run in the team.
O’Neill did not disagree that difficult decisions now lie ahead, diplomatically describing the situation not as a headache, but a “selection choice.” His smile when saying it suggested he knew full well the two amount to the same thing.
Time to Grind
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from Stuttgart was not individual, but collective. Celtic showed they can win ugly. That has not always been evident this season, with the side conceding with worrying regularity and looking brittle in a way that is unfamiliar for a club accustomed to domestic dominance.
The Ibrox record makes uncomfortable reading. Celtic have not won there since September 2023 in four attempts, and Rangers have won their last ten home matches. There will be no margin for the kind of defensive lapses that have punctuated Celtic’s 2026 campaign.
Bonner’s assessment cut to the heart of it. Celtic do not need to outplay Rangers; they need to outfight them. Work rate, defensive discipline, a slice of fortune and a goalkeeper at the top of their game — those are the ingredients for a result on Sunday. The Stuttgart win, however narrow and however its context is qualified, showed Celtic can produce exactly that.
The squad has been questioned, the manager has faced scrutiny, and the season has lurched through turbulence. But the title is still within reach, the cups are still live, and the next fortnight will tell us everything about whether this Celtic side has the character to make the most of that.