Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - July 31, 2022 Celtic players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Martin O’Neill has made seven changes to the Celtic side that lost 2-1 to Hibs for tonight’s match with Stuttgart.
The Europa League tie is virtually a dead rubber after the first leg result with the Celtic XI reflecting that.
Kasper Schmeichel was at fault for two of the goals that Celtic lost with Viljami Sinisalo taking over in goals.
Auston Trusty, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Yang Hyun-jun are the only players to start tonight that were in the line up against Hibs.
The changes are clearly with an eye on Sunday’s vital SPFL match at Ibrox.
O’NEILL EYES IBROX
Trusty would probably have been rested tonight as well if he wasn’t suspended for Sunday’s crucial SPFL clash.
After a seventh defeat in the SPFL at the weekend Celtic must avoid defeat on Sunday to maintain a credible title challenge.
Most of the players likely to start at Ibrox are on the bench with the exception of Julian Araujo who was left in Glasgow. The Mexican did train on Wednesday and is expected to be fit for the weekend match.
After last week’s 4-1 first leg defeat to Stuttgart tonight’s match is virtually academic.
Hopes that O’Neill being drawn against Stuttgart would see a repeat of 2003 were quickly evaporated as the German’s dominated at Celtic Park.
They could have been 4-1 up early in the second half but a VAR decision went Celtic’s way. More than a few fans headed for home at that point.
Stuttgart had to wait until stoppage time to score their fourth goal. Even before then the Celtic support knew that another opportunity had been missed.
It is 22 years since Celtic won their last UEFA knock out tie. Not many fans in Stuttgart tonight are expecting another trip out of this season
CELTIC: Sinisalo, Donovan, Murray, Trusty, Saracchi; McGregor, Hatate, McCowan; Yang, Adamu, Maeda
SUBS: Schmeichel, Scales, Nygren, Cvancara, Tounekti, Bernardo, Forrest, McArdle, Iheanacho, Hatton, Ralston, Tierney
As long as Schmeichel is not being rested for Sunday’s game…?
Exactly. He should be shown the door. Schmeichel is a disaster.
We achieved a clean sheet in Germany tonight with Sinisalo in goal. The defence looked much more confident with him between the sticks.
Have we reached the stage that Celtic Park is now an albatross round their necks?
Has a home fear manifested itself due to all that’s going on?
Still think that the cheats with whistles flags and monitors will decide Sunday !