Celtic's season now hinges on a pivotal fortnight after exiting the Europa League, with six of their next seven matches away from home. The Scottish Premiership champions face a critical run that could define their campaign, starting with the Old Firm derby against Rangers on Sunday.

Currently trailing Rangers by two points but with a game in hand, Celtic's form has been inconsistent in 2026, conceding regularly. The upcoming fixtures include matches against Aberdeen, another clash with Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-final, and a home game against in-form Motherwell. Former defender Johann Mjallby believes the league race could go to the final day.

A 1-0 victory over Stuttgart in Germany, secured by Luke McCowan's 28-second goal, provided a morale boost despite being meaningless for European progression. The win highlighted potential selection dilemmas for manager Martin O'Neill, particularly regarding backup goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, whose impressive performance has sparked debate about starting him ahead of Kasper Schmeichel against Rangers.