Celtic

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Celtic are missing Arne Engels (leg), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Jota (knee), Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand (both hamstring) but welcome back several players who are not in their European squad.

Hibernian defender Munashe Garananga returns after an ankle issue and Joe Newell is also back in contention, but Josh Mulligan (ankle), Jordan Obita, Grant Hanley (both hamstring) and Chris Cadden are all still out.

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On-loan Celtic striker Johnny Kenny has been defended by Bolton Wanderers manager Steven Schumacher following a challenge on Paudie O'Connor that left the Reading player with a facial injury and at least one dislodged tooth. (The Herald), external

A statue of Celtic legend Tommy Gemmell is set to be unveiled next weekend in Craigneuk. (Glasgow Times), external

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Willie Collum has backed match officials in the latest Scottish Football VAR Review Show in the wake of criticism of dismissals for denying obvious goalscoring opportunities.

The Scottish Football Association head of referees thinks it was correct to upgrade yellow cards for Celtic defender Auston Trusty and Falkirk centre-back Liam Henderson.

Dundee United's Iurie Iovu and Motherwell pair Oscar Priestman Liam Gordon were sent off this week for similar offences after the show was filmed.

Trusty was sent off in a 2-2 draw at Hearts for a foul on Pierre-Landry Kabore, having been in a "fairly central" position, according to referee Steven McLean, while Lewis Neilson was deemed too far away to catch Dundee United forward Max Watters, who was brought down near halfway by Henderson.

Collum felt the consistency in the Trusty and Henderson decisions was correct but also backed the decision not to issue the same punishment to Rangers captain James Tavernier, who was on a booking when he tangled with Kilmarnock striker Tyreece John-Jules.

Referee David Dickinson said there was "minimal contact" in the immediate aftermath and the VAR team did not intervene.

"What I would say is different from the previous clip (Trusty against Hearts) is the ball is in the air," said Collum. "There really is quite a bit of debate about whether the Kilmarnock player would have reached the ball before it went through to the goalkeeper.

"What I will say is the KMI panel felt unanimously that this was a foul and this would have been a second yellow card for James Tavernier. What we don't have here is an opportunity for VAR to be involved there because it's not a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity."

Collum supported officials in every other incident shown, including red cards for St Mirren attacker Jake Young and Dundee United winger Amar Fatah.

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Livingston defender Cammy Kerr thinks "quality" signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain improves the Celtic squad massively.

Martin O'Neill's side currently sit third in the Premiership table, one point behind Rangers and three adrift of Hearts but have one more game to play than their rivals.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had been without a club since being released by Besiktas in August, arrived on a free transfer on a deal until the end of the season.

The 32-year-old scored his first Celtic goal in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win over Livingston, ensuring the reigning champions clinched all three points.

Kerr believes the midfielder, who has won three FA Cups with Arsenal, the Champions League, Premier League and League Cup with Liverpool, can help O'Neill's side cross "over the line" come May.

"Celtic have so much possession, they tire you out mentally, physically, probably what they were last night from Stuttgart and they're relentless," Kerr said on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast.

"They just keep going, they have quality players that they've brought in like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is of real quality, like you talk about a top signing.

"He's a top signing that's going to get, I believe, Celtic over the line at the end of the season."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Uefa's disciplinary body will review reports from officials at Celtic's Europa League game against Stuttgart on Thursday before deciding if any disciplinary action will be taken after the game was held up for more than three minutes when tennis balls were thrown on to the Celtic Park pitch.

Celtic went on to lose the game 4-1 and will travel to Germany for next Thursday's knockout play-off second leg.

After the match, manager Martin O'Neill criticised the throwing of the tennis balls.

Supporters have staged protests against Celtic's board in recent months, including some fans boycotting the Scottish Cup home win over Dundee.

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• Celtic are unbeaten in their last 23 home games against Hibernian in all competitions (W18 D5) since a 1-2 league reverse in January 2010. It's their longest unbeaten home run over Hibs since going 25 without defeat from September 1903 to August 1925.

• Hibernian have lost eight of their last 10 meetings with Celtic across all competitions (W1 D1), most recently a 2-1 loss in November.

• Hibernian have lost both of their last two away league outings, last losing more in a row in January 2023 (run of six).

• Celtic have scored five 90th-minute (or later) winning goals in the Scottish Premiership this season, including one in both of their last two league games. Since the competition rebrand in 2013, this is the joint-most by any side in a single Scottish Premiership campaign (Rangers also five in 2016-17).

• No player has scored more goals in the Scottish Premiership this season than Benjamin Nygren (13, level with Tawanda Maswanhise). It's the most by any player in their debut league campaign for Celtic since Giorgos Giakoumakis in 2021-22 (also 13), while the last to net more for the club in their first season were both Moussa Dembélé (17) and Scott Sinclair (21) in 2016-17.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Celtic midfielder Benjamin Nygren insists their Europa League knockout play-off tie is still only half done despite the commanding 4-1 lead Stuttgart hold ahead of the return leg next week.

Bilal El Khannouss' first-half double either side of Nygren's cool finish put Stuttgart in control as they punished defensive fragility to leave the home side with a mountain to climb to progress.

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had a night to forget, looking at fault for the first and third goals as he tamely failed to stop Jamie Leweling's second-half strike before Tiago Tomas netted a late fourth.

Celtic will now have to create history and win in Germany for the fist time, by a sizable scoreline to have any hope of progression.

"Then we'll have to make it the first one," Nygren said of the club record of never having won on German soil.

"It's only half of it played so it's still 90 minutes over there and everything can happen.

[It's] not the result we wanted of course. All of us wanted to do very good in this competition and obviously today we made it very hard for ourselves. So it's very disappointing."

Kasper Schmeichel was at fault for at least two Stuttgart goals and was booed by sections of the home support having been unconvincing at times this season.

"It's not nice to hear," Nygren explained. "I cannot point on one person. It's not one person's mistake.

"We're eleven players on the pitch and it's everyone's responsibility to do well. So all of the team stands together.

The Swedish midfielder, who netted his 18th goal to level the tie at 1-1, insisted the immediate focus is to not let the outcome impact on the title race in which they host Hibernian on Sunday.

"That's what the manager spoke about in the dressing room," he said.

"We have to drop this game as fast as possible and have our focus on the games ahead."

"You can always learn something but the games come very quick now so you need to have the focus on the next game."

Manager Martin O'Neill criticised the protest that disrupted Celtic's 4-1 home defeat by Stuttgart. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Former Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards was pictured at Celtic Park with partner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who recently joined the Scottish champions, at Thursday's match. (Sun), external

Friday's Scottish gossip

Celtic fans, we asked for your views after Thursday night's 4-1 defeat at home to Stuttgart in the Europa League.

Here are the main points:

Paul: Martin O'Neill is an excellent manager but he's no magician. He has done brilliantly wallpapering over cracks, motivating a team to get results in the league. Any Bundesliga team will cause us bother - especially one like Stuttgart. Terrible atmosphere at Celtic Park for a European fixture - that needs sorted as much as anything. Kasper Schmeichel had a bad night - so did plenty others around him. A good bench mark of where we really are.

Biggar Bhoy: We were architects of our own demise. Schmeichel was certainly at fault for two of the goals, but it was a collective defensive failure for all four goals conceded. I thought the treatment of Schmeichel by a significant section of the home support was pretty shameful to be honest. If we're to salvage anything from what's been a dismal season so far, the fans need to back the team and get behind every single player.

Sally: Celtic supporters are not helping the team with these stupid, adolescent, and immature protests. The team certainly did not cover themselves in glory and the defence showed naivety against a good club. This is a proud club with a great history in Europe being given a football lesson.

Eck: Probably the worst Celtic team in 15 years. The goalkeeper is past it, too many mistakes and too slow. Auston Trusty and Liam Scales are liabilities, they are like frightened rabbits in the headlights and make too many mistakes. The board need to invest in better players instead of banking all the money.

Jim: If we are honest we are just not at the level of European teams. Stuttgart, in my opinion, were only playing to about 75% of their potential. The eternal triangle of Trusty, Callum McGregor and Scales is so predictable and mostly ends up with a punt into touch from our own penalty area. Would have been nice to have a midfield. There was no creativity and we were well beaten by a better team who wanted to play forward football instead of our negativity and backward passing.

Stephen: Celtic should never prioritise league football over European football for me, that's where we aspire to be, but this year they need a clear focus on the league so being out of Europe isn't a bad thing.

Aaron: One word. Dross

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Martin O'Neill was honest after his Celtic team fell to a Europa League knockout play-off first-leg defeat to Stuttgart.

"It's a tough evening for us," he told TNT Sports.

"On paper, 4-1 looks pretty poor. We were masters of our own downfall in many respects, conceded some poor goals.

"Kasper [Schmeichel] has made some great saves while I've been here. This is a collective, there's no doubt about that.

"I will think about all sorts of things, but Kasper has done really well since I've arrived at the football club, in both spells.

"At some point, Celtic will become a top quality European team. That's in the future. At this moment our battles are elsewhere. Our focus now is totally on Sunday.

"It's very difficult for Scottish teams. There's no money. You're talking about Premier League sides and Bundesliga sides buying players for £40m and them not playing."

Celtic have it all to do in Germany next Thursday after falling to a 4-1 Europa League knockout play-off first leg defeat to Stuttgart.

Read the match report.

Have your say

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Ange Postecoglou says he would not consider a return to managing Celtic despite the "amazing experience" he enjoyed in Glasgow.

The Australian lifted five trophies in two years at the club, and won the affection of fans with his attacking style of play before leaving for Tottenham Hotspur in 2023.

Postecoglou has been out of work since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in October and has been linked with a return to Celtic in the summer as the Premiership champions search for their next permanent manager.

The 60-year-old told The Overlap it was not in his nature to return to a job he had done before.

"I don't go back," he said. "I don't think that's been my career."

However, Postecoglou talked about his time as Celtic manager in positive terms, saying he loved the passion of the fans.

"I loved Celtic," he said. "What a football club. If I was younger, I probably would have stayed there longer for three or four years.

"I think I could have made progress with them in Europe. But at the time, it had taken me a lot of time to get to this space and the opportunity to join Tottenham was too good.

"In terms of going back, I don't go back. I don't think that's been my career.

"Whatever the next step is, I think it will be something new, something I can make an impact in, somewhere I can win things.

"It doesn't diminish the affection I have for Celtic. It was a great experience. For two years, to be within a community that is so passionate, and it's crazy how passionate they are, obviously I was fortunate enough to have success.

"It's a positive experience and I loved every minute of it. I look back on it fondly but... I won't go back. It's not how my career plays out."

He also described the city rivalry with Rangers and shared memories of his first season in charge, when the club won the Premiership and League Cup.

"Nobody is going to talk to me about rivalry," Postecoglou said. "I lived and breathed it there.

"The perfect weekend in Scotland is Celtic winning, Rangers losing. Celtic winning, Rangers winning is not a good weekend.

"I remember the first year I was there we won the double but Rangers were in the Europa League final. I got more text messages the night they lost the Europa League final than the night we won the league.

"People were ecstatic."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Former Celtic defender Andreas Hinkel has fond memories of all of his previous managers during his spell at Parkhead.

Celtic and another one of his old clubs Stuttgart go head to head at Parkhead tonight in the first leg of the Europa League knockout phase play-off.

Hinkel spent three and a half years at Celtic between 2008-2011, winning a league title and a League Cup and played under three different managers – Gordon Strachan, Tony Mowbray and Neill Lennon.

"I think Gordon Strachan did a great job," he told BBC Scotland.

"He signed me and I spent this time together with him. I had the chance to get to know Tommy Burns as well – a huge Celtic legend – he passed away at this time, so it was very emotional this period as well, I experienced a lot.

"The first year was really special, to win the title. It was quite tight against Rangers but we made it at the end. All the Old Firm games, all the international games – Europa League, Champions League were really special and I have really good memories.

"Of course you always have bad things as well, like changes in the manager position but I think that is normal. I think Tony Mowbray was a really good guy, he had a good philosophy and it didn't work out really well with the team, it can happen, but he was a good manager as well.

"And Neil Lennon is a guy who gives everything, he motivates the team he wants you to leave everything on the pitch.

"So I took something out of every manager I had there."

Reo Hatate does not have an attitude problem, says Celtic manager Martin O'Neill following talks with the Japan midfielder. (Sun), external

O'Neill wants to see Hatate "knuckle down". (Record), external

Former Celtic target Kasper Hogh scored Bodo/Glimt's third in Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League knockout round first leg over Inter Milan in Norway. (Sun), external

Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeness has been impressed by the way Martin O'Neill has transformed a "turbulent" season at Celtic as the teams prepare to meet in the first leg of their Europa League play-off.

O'Neill, 73, is in his second spell as interim boss, stepping in after the departures of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy.

The Scottish champions have gone 10 games unbeaten since O'Neill returned in January and now lie three points behind Premiership leaders Hearts with a game in hand.

Former Aston Villa, Sunderland and Republic of Ireland boss O'Neill, who was at Celtic between 2000 and 2005, will take charge of his 1000th game as a manager against the team that sits fourth in the Bundesliga.

Hoeness said: "The highest respect for his career. It's a life achievement, over 1000 games is unbelievable.

"I expect a lot. They are a team who have had a very turbulent season with lots of changes of coach.

"The current coach has a special history here and he is a very experienced coach. It's a team who have really found form recently after they had ups and downs.

"It's one of the toughest draws we could have got but one of the most exciting, given we have the chance to play in this historic stadium.

"I think that gives the team power and energy and we'll have to be able to counter that but we're prepared for the task ahead.

"It'll be very challenging but these are the games you want to play when you're in Europe so we're going to try and create a good position for ourselves going into the second game."

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There has been "some progress" in talks between Celtic and the banned Green Brigade supporters group, according to interim manager Martin O'Neill.

An initial six-game ban was imposed on around 200 people in early November following "violent and threatening behaviour" at a home match against Falkirk on 29 October, before the ban was extended at the start of December due to "safety incidents".

O'Neill says certain elements of the Parkhead atmosphere have been "lost" and again reiterated the need for "unity" between fans and the club's hierarchy.

"A full house here at Celtic Park is something special," O'Neill said when asked about the Green Brigade's absence.

"In every European night that I've had in the past, teams, and I'm talking about the really major sides, were still very concerned about coming here with the passion, the drive and the noise that's made.

"I remember here at our game against Liverpool in that Uefa Cup run, John Robertson, my old friend, was standing beside me and speaking to me and I couldn't hear a word he was saying for the first 10 or 15 minutes. It was so, so loud.

"So, yeah, little bits have been lost from that and that is, that's regrettable, to use your word.

"I think there has been some discussions, which I'm obviously wasn't party to, but I I think that there's been some progress made.

"But as I've been saying this here, the sooner, the sooner that there is unity at Celtic Park, the better, the better for all concerned.

"I have no doubt at all that the crowd behind the goal on Sunday contributed greatly to us fighting back in the game. No question about that."