Celtic

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Rangers defender Leon Balogun has trained with a mask after a minor operation on a cracked cheekbone. Ridvan Yilmaz and Dujon Sterling (Achilles) are out for the season while Tom Lawrence remains out. Neraysho Kasanwirjo has recovered from a knee problem and played in the Glasgow Cup final against Celtic during the week.

Celtic have lost Jota to a serious knee injury and Dane Murray is also out for the season with a knee problem. Alistair Johnston (hip) also drops out but Yang Hyun-jun could return and Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn are expected to shake off knocks. Kasper Schmeichel (shoulder) is still out.

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Celtic could face competition for Brondby striker Mathias Kvistgaarden, 23, from Frankfurt. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic are playing for "pride" against Rangers on Sunday, having lost the two previous meetings between the sides.

With the league already won, the League Cup in the bag and a Scottish Cup final to look forward to, Rodgers wants his side to end the season on a high.

"This is a game that is all about pride," the Northern Irishman said.

"And we've proved our point over the course of this season in terms of our performance level, consistency. I think the challenge in these games is that we've been so comfortable going into the games, and I felt that has really disrupted our mindset. When it was win or bust in the cup final, we won it, because that's it.

"These games we've been so comfortable, and even though you're pushing, I know what these games mean to supporters and what it means to myself and the club, there just can be that little bit in the back of the mind that you're 13 points clear or 16 points clear.

"And so that has taken a fraction of an edge off that you don't want, but there's maybe a subconscious thing there.

"But this here, this is our last game. We are fighting for the pride of our team and also for our supporters, because we lost the last game at Ibrox, deservedly so.

"We shouldn't have lost the game at home, but we did, and we have to make that right in the last game.

"I hear the talk up here about meaningless games. There's never that. A Celtic-Rangers game, there's never a meaningless game or there's nothing in the game. There's everything in this game, everything.

"So, we have to go and prove that on the field. Yes, we are champions with the best team, the most consistent team, with the mentality, Champions League progression, all of this here. But these are important games."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Sunday's derby against Rangers.

Here are the main points:

• Jota will be sidelined for "six to nine months" after suffering an ACL injury in last weekend's victory at Tannadice.

• Alistair Johnston won't feature at Ibrox, Rodgers confirms he's being managed ahead of the cup final later this month, meanwhile Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn should be available and Hyunjun Yang is back in the squad.

• On the potential for Rangers to give Celtic a guard of honour at Ibrox, Rodgers says "it's not in the rules to do it" but thinks it's a "mark of respect" to the champions. However the Celtic boss says he understands "if you come up short quite a lot it can be a challenge for you and to justify that to your supporters".

• With the league already won, Rodgers insists his side are "playing for pride" against their Glasgow rivals having lost the last meeting between the sides at Ibrox.

• When asks if he expects a great challenge from Rangers next season, Rodgers says "talk to me in the summer" and was keen to stress how good his Celtic side have been this campaign.

• On the potential for Adam Idah to lead the line on Sunday, Rodgers says everyone has been judging the former Norwich striker on his price tag but insists his "actual ratio" of minutes played to goals scored is "actually very good.

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• Rangers have won their past two league games against Celtic, last winning three in a row over their rivals in January 2021. The Ibrox side had won just one of their previous 12 against the Hoops (D3 L8) prior to their last two successive wins.

• After their 3-0 defeat in January, Celtic could lose two away league games against Rangers in a season for the first time since 2020-21, which was the last season they failed to win the Scottish Premiership.

• The side scoring first has only lost one of their past 26 league Old Firm derbies (W21 D4), with that a 2-1 defeat for Rangers at home in April 2022. In the past five league matches between the two clubs, the opener has been scored within the opening seven minutes.

• Rangers have conceded at least two goals in each of their past eight league games (17 goals conceded overall). The last Scottish top-flight side to concede 2+ goals more times in a row were Gretna from February to April 2008 (10).

• Celtic have a goal difference of +80 in this season's Scottish Premiership (102 scored, 22 conceded). In their league history, only in 1915-16 (+93), 1935-36 (+82), 1967-68 (+92), and 2016-17 (+81) have they ever had a better difference between goals scored and conceded at the end of a campaign.

• After guiding them to a 3-2 win in March, Barry Ferguson could become the first Rangers manager to win both of his first two league meetings with Celtic.

• Daizen Maeda has scored in three of Celtic's four meetings with Rangers in all competitions this season; he had only scored in two of his first 15 Old Firm derby appearances before this. Maeda has 33 goals and 10 assists in 47 games for Celtic in all competitions in 2024-25 overall.

• Each of Rangers' last 10 league goals against Celtic have been scored by different players: Tavernier, Sima, Matondo, Dessers, Hagi, Propper, Danilo, Raskin, Diomande, and Igamane.

Liverpool and Arsenal are among a host of Premier League clubs showing interest in Celtic forward Daizen Maeda and the 27-year-old Japan international might be available for around £25m this summer. (The Boot Room), external

Stephen Welsh expects to return to Celtic a better player after the 25-year-old centre-back's loan spell with Belgian side Mechelen. (Daily Record), external

Celtic are to release goalkeeper Joe Morrison, defender Alasdair Davidson and striker Lewis Dobbie from their youth squad in the summer. (Daily Record), external

Celtic received £874,000 from European governing body Uefa for players called up to international duty, the largest payout in Scotland, almost double Rangers' £438,000. (Football Insider), external

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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Callum McGregor was delighted to see Celtic team-mates act like "tourists" by filming fans celebrating the club's fourth successive title triumph.

Brendan Rodgers' squad returned to a heroes welcome at Celtic Park last Saturday after securing glory with a 5-0 win at Tannadice.

While captain McGregor now has 24 winner's medals with Celtic, some players were celebrating their first and were encouraged to capture every moment of the raucous party.

"Obviously we've been back to the stadium, there's probably 2,500 to 3,000 people there, huge numbers, and you can see the guys that haven't experienced it before, they walk out and, I can't remember who it was that was saying, but just a bit of advice, 'video it'," said McGregor.

"And you've got the boys like tourists all videoing the celebrations. But it's a brilliant keepsake as well because obviously you take it in with your eyes but to have it on video as well and to be able to watch it back shows you when you win the league there's a huge celebraton.

"For the guys that haven't felt it before then instantly it hits them just how important this is and just how important winning the league for Celtic is.

"We are human beings as well, we obviously are on the other side of the touchline and there's huge demand and people think that you're a robot, but we're human beings as well and we have the same problems in life that everyone else has.

"So when we achieve success and we do it together we also want to remember it as well and we want to feel those emotions.

"You dedicate a huge part of your life to play football and to get those moments on the other side, then absolutely, go and video it go and be a tourist, go and be a fan and enjoy it and soak up the moment because it's hugely important as well to do that."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

There has been a lot of noise around Nicolas Kuhn recently. Is any of it merited?

Kuhn's end product and effectiveness has seemingly slowed after a blistering start to the season had him tipped for a Germany call-up, but he's still an integral part of the Celtic juggernaut that are close to another domestic treble.

After scoring the first of a double before half-time in the title-clinching thrashing of Dundee United last weekend, Kuhn's celebration seemed pointed - but he insists it wasn't meant to be.

Asked if it was aimed at anyone, he said: "Not anyone in particular, but to a lot of people.

"I don't really read what people are saying, but I heard from some of the team-mates and stuff, so I'm just happy that we won the title, and we keep going."

When Kuhn's output in the first half of the Premiership season is compared to his second, it suggests he is marginally less efficient.

The 25-year-old has made 29 league appearances this term and the following is based on his first 14 games (892 minutes played) compared to his second 15 (839 minutes played).

Six goals in each half of the season, at a rate of 0.61 per 90 minutes to 0.64, show he's still as clinical in front of goal as a wide man.

He scored his first six from an xG (expected goals) of 5.35, and the second from 3.18 xG. If anything, he's been able to bag a few more goals than he should have since the halfway mark of this campaign.

Two assists in the second half, compared to six in the opening half, show his creative impact has dripped, however.

Similarly, he has only created 16 chances, 1.7 per 90 in the second half of the season, compared to 31, or 3.1 per 90, in the opening 14 games.

Touches in the opposition box are down too, as are passes played into the box, but he remains a crucial player.

And after ending an eight-game league run without a goal by scoring twice at Tannadice, might Kuhn be rekindling his best form as the Scottish Cup final looms in just over three weeks' time?

Kuhn, for one, is pretty pleased with his part in Celtic's season so far: "A lot of players did a good job this season already, and I think I wasn't too bad either."

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Luke McCowan insists Celtic have no point to prove at Ibrox on Sunday but are determined to show why they are champions.

Despite treble-chasing Celtic's domestic dominance, Rangers have won the past two derbies this season.

"I don't think it's really a point to prove," said midfielder McCowan.

"We are the most consistent team in Scotland, that's why we won the league.

"But I think it's just more about showing to ourselves that it's not about us winning the league last week, it's about each performance that's coming along with that and showing that we are champions, wherever we go, regardless of it being at Ibrox on Sunday, or Hibs at home, or anybody.

"It's about putting on performances and we've got targets in our season that we want to hit.

"We've got other records within the season that we want to break, so that's the goal and we just need to go and show that.

"Ask anybody on the team or outwith those gates, your head-to-head against Rangers is always going to be important.

"It's about being consistent throughout your season. It's about showing that you're now champions, going into their patch and proving why you are and putting on a performance that shows that, so that's the kind of goal for Sunday.

"Everybody was disappointed in the last two results against Rangers. There was no hiding that, no getting away from it.

"You're expected to win at this club, and that's what we should be doing and hopefully come Sunday, that's what we are doing."

McCowan, 27, isn't expecting a guard of honour at Ibrox when the newly-crowned champions play their first game since securing the title at Tannadice last weekend.

"No. No, not at all. But that's just how it is, isn't it?," he said.

"I don't know how it would be if it was on the other foot. We'll never really know I don't think, but we will wait and see what happens."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

I may well be swimming against the tide with this one but there absolutely is such a thing as a meaningless derby between Rangers and Celtic.

This Sunday's is a prime case in point. The players will disagree, neither manager would dare admit it, and many fans might even be scratching their heads at my reasoning.

I'm doubling down, however: this latest episode of Glasgow's big footballing rivalry means the square root of diddly squat.

So what if Rangers claim three wins over the men from Parkhead this season? Any meaningful title tilt from Ibrox had disappeared long before the bells.

You'll remember Rangers cruised through the New Year derby? Inconsequential. All it did was reduce Celtic's lead at the top from very embarrassing (from a Rangers point of view) to simply embarrassing. Double figures, still, after Philippe Clement's first – and only – taste of victory in the fixture.

His rollercoaster reign didn't even last long enough for the second Parkhead derby of the term. That Rangers won that one as well was a massive shot in the arm for Barry Ferguson and an indication that, on any given day, Rangers can comfortably go toe to toe with this Celtic team and come out on top.

The wider significance? Absolutely none. Celtic's lead after losing back-to-back derbies? Thirteen points.

Which brings us neatly to the match on Sunday, and the ultimate ignominy for the men from Govan. With the calendar barely having flipped into May, they'll be hosting a team already crowned four-in-a-row champions. I'm sure the arrangements for the guard of honour are well under way.

Yes, of course pride is at stake, for both sides. Yes, of course Callum McGregor doesn't want to be the first Celtic captain to lead the side to the title while losing three times to Rangers in the same season.

My guess, however, is he'd get over it pretty quickly, given he'll soon be leading his team out at Hampden with (yet another) treble on the line.

Realistically, this is a match of no great import in the grand scheme of Scottish football. Should Rangers win, the gap to Celtic will be a 'mere' 14 points.

The uncomfortable truth for Rangers is Celtic have had bigger fish to fry this season. Champions League opposition in January. Aberdeen to come in the Scottish Cup final.

Losing the derbies hasn't mattered in the procession towards silverware, so it's little surprise they've been lacking an edge in the last two derbies.

Will they find it again on Sunday? Again, it doesn't really matter, apart from owing the 2,500 away fans in Ibrox a performance.

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It will come as little surprise to anyone that the latest attempt at reconstruction of the Scottish Premiership has failed to get off the ground.

A change from the current 12-team set-up to one of 10, 14 or 16 were the options being discussed but the SPFL said "there was no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus".

Maintaining the status quo is a consequence of there being "no perfect option" for change, according to The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, McGowan said: "If you look at the options for expanding the Premiership, for 14 you would have to have probably a top six and a bottom eight and a different number of fixtures. So that's less than ideal.

"Look at the 16, which is the one that supporters really want. But Neil Doncaster has been saying consistently that you would then have to find a way to still preserve your four Celtic v Rangers games because Sky sports are not a charity. They're a subscription network who want to get the biggest numbers for games. So they want more Celtic and Rangers games.

"So it's how you square that circle with the 16 that's the problem. So it's not so much I don't think there's no great desire for expansions. There's no such thing as a perfect option and one that they can all vote for. That's the problem basically."

Former Scotland defender Maurice Ross, meanwhile, has accused Premiership clubs of "self-preservation".

"If they're going to remain the same, okay, let's put two clubs [automatically] down then and have a third-place play-off," said Ross.

"And we'll see what the reaction is of the clubs in four or five years' time. Then they'll want reconstruction."

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Rangers B retained the Glasgow Cup by defeating Celtic B on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Firhill.

First-team defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo scored Rangers' opener, striking hard from inside the area.

Celtic levelled in first-half added time with Rhys Dargie turning home from close range.

There was a lengthy stoppage during the second half after Rangers' Cameron Scott sustained a head injury and left the field on a stretcher.

After 16 minutes of added time, the match went to spot-kicks and Rangers triumphed 5-4 in the shootout after Lewis Dobbie missed for Celtic.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and Rangers interim head coach Barry Ferguson were in attendance at the final.

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First-team defender Neraysho Kasanwjiro scored in Rangers B's Glasgow Cup final against Celtic B as he continues his recovery from injury.

The Dutchman, who is on loan from Feyenoord, last played a senior match in early November.

He returned to training last week and scored the opening goal at Firhill, a firm strike from inside the box. Rangers B won the final 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Firhill.

Kasanwjiro, 23, has made 12 first-team appearances for the Ibrox side and could feature in their remaining four Scottish Premiership games this season.

Rangers host Celtic on Sunday (12:00 BST).

Tino
Fan writer

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Champions again? Four titles in a row? Double secured?

It's a resounding yes to all of the above - but if you think Brendan Rodgers and his players are satisfied with their lot then think again.

Because despite the phenomenal success Celtic have enjoyed in recent times, perhaps what's most impressive is their drive in the immediate aftermath of a trophy win to say: "Great. What's next?"

Don't get me wrong, it's important to take time to savour the wins - and the players did just that following the title clincher at Tannadice - but it's not something this group dwell on for too long.

The attentions always turn quickly to the next challenge, a mindset Rodgers instilled in his squad during his first spell before reintroducing it second time around.

Marshalled by captain Callum McGregor and our now most decorated player James Forrest - with a combined 1000-plus Celtic appearances between them - he has the perfect on-field generals to carry his message.

So what is that 'next challenge?' Well, in the immediate term it's sealing the treble, and to do so we'll need to take care of what looks like a resurgent Aberdeen in next month's Scottish Cup Final.

But beyond that, what are the targets for the club under a manager who says he'll "200%" be here next season?

The league title will always be a priority and that'll certainly top the list as we set out for five in a row.

But what else? As much as we've been spoiled by trebles in recent times - we're now targeting our sixth since Rodgers first arrived in 2016 - we can't expect to chalk off such an achievement every single season (can we…?).

So Europe, naturally, is where we must now be setting our sights. And while the progression in this season's Champions League was clear to see, can we do better?

The short answer is yes, but to do so there must be clear and unified ambition shown throughout the club.

We know how important it is to the manager. And we can see how much it motivates the players to showcase their talents at the top table. So it then all comes down to how much the club want to push the boat out.

Credit should be given for backing Rodgers with recent acquisitions such as Arne Engels (£11m), Adam Idah (£9m) and Jota (£8m) – all who have scored goals at Champions League level – and it shows shopping at a higher level will generally bring its own rewards.

We won't get every signing right but if as a club we can now be that bit braver, and that bit bolder, then it's almost certain the manager will make us that bit better - and that should be something that excites all of us.

This Celtic team aren't finished yet, far from it. To quote a popular manager from our recent past, we may just be getting started.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Young player of the year nominee Arne Engels says Celtic's title success is like "a drug" as he eyes more honours.

The 21-year-old midfielder's debut season in Scotland has already resulted in a league and League Cup double, with the chance to make it a treble when Celtic face Aberdeen in next month's Scottish Cup final.

Having never lifted a trophy in senior football before signing for Celtic last summer, Belgium international Engels now can't get enough of the kind of scenes he witnessed at Parkhead over the weekend, when thousands of fans descended on Glasgow' east end to welcome their heroes home after the Premiership was sealed at Tannadice.

"It's an amazing feeling," he said. "It's my first so I cannot wait to get other ones. It's like a bit of a drug - you want to achieve so much and win so much. It's an amazing feeling."

Has this been a dream debut season at Celtic for Engels, who cost a club record £11m from Augsburg last summer?

"We'll see at the end of the season, he added. "There's still one more trophy to go. We're just looking forward to that and working hard to perform really well.

"You need to have the right mindset now for the next games and keep yourself busy, focused and sharp so you can be there whenever you need to be."

That mindset has already switched to the trip to Ibrox on Sunday for a derby that can have no meaningful impact on a Premiership Celtic have already won.

No Celtic players are taking their foot off the gas however, given they have lost the past two meetings with Rangers.

"We want to win every game, not just the Rangers games, otherwise you cannot be champions," said Engels.

"Of course it's a big game and also for us because we lost the last two. Everybody was really disappointed about those two games so it's up to us now to take our revenge."

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There are fears injured Celtic winger Jota is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of next season. (Scottish Sun), external

Celtic are finalising plans for a home summer friendly against Newcastle United in July. (iNews)

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Could Celtic's potential treble-winning campaign be called a "bad season" if the champions lose at Ibrox at the weekend?

Club captain Calum McGregor admits that may sound "silly" but accepts three derby defeats would lead some critics to come to that conclusion.

There may not be a great deal to play for with the Premiership trophy officially won now but McGregor is adamant there's still plenty on the line, with 2,500 Celtic supporters heading to the home of their bitter rivals on Sunday.

"That's the nature of playing football in Glasgow," McGregor said. "You can only have one team doing well. That's the optics of it, that's what you have to live with and understand as well.

"We could finish the season with three trophies and if we lose the game on Sunday, people will interpret it as being a bad season. That's a bit silly but it's part of what you have to live with, being a player for Rangers or Celtic.

"Everything rides on these games. The players understand that. We've suffered in the last couple and we want to put the record straight, from our point of view.

"That's the reality of football in Scotland. It can verge on being silly and if that's the case, so be it.

"It doesn't take away from the fact that that's what some people will think. You want to try to prove as many doubters wrong as possible and that's the bit the players enjoy as well."

The driving factor for the club captain and his colleagues? No Celtic team has ever won the title while losing three derbies to Rangers in the same season. McGregor has no intention of being the first Parkhead skipper to claim that record.