CELTIC’S second draw of this season’s league campaign is the big talking point in Scottish football this week, but what are the targets that Brendan Rodgers will have for his side for the rest of this, his first season as Celtic manager?
The Betfred Cup went back to Paradise last November as Celtic easily swept Aberdeen aside in a 3-0 one-sided Cup Final victory.
The Scottish Premiership is all but in the bag and a two wins in the next two games will make it 6 in a row as Celtic get closer to the magical Ten. Indeed if Hearts win at Pittodrie on Saturday, Celtic can clinch the title as early as this Sunday with a win at Dens Park.
Then there’s the Scottish Cup and Sunday’s result, as Brendan Rodgers pointed out, will make Celtic more likely to prevail in the semi-final in April against the same opponents.
Celtic supporters, and indeed most neutrals watching the match, believe that referee Bobby Madden denied Celtic a late penalty kick after Clint Hill’s desperate tackle to prevent the Celtic striker scoring. Hill took the man, missed the ball and most people would label this one as a stonewaller.
Celtic dropped two points away to Inverness in September and just like yesterday they conceded a late equaliser in that game. The 1-1 draw yesterday is the only other occasion Celtic have dropped points in the Premiership.
If you put that in context of the Lisbon season of 50 years ago, Celtic actually lost twice to Dundee United and also drew 2-2 at Ibrox on the day they won the league title.
Yesterday Celtic were looking for their 23rd successive Scottish Premiership win of the season.
A victory would have edged them closer to breaking Europe’s all-time record of 29 consecutive league wins set by Portuguese giants Benfica in 1971/72.
If Celtic had picked up three points, they would have matched Swedish side Malmo’s 23-game winning streak in 1949/50.
However, Celtic are remain unbeaten against domestic opposition in 35 games during this campaign. Maintaining that unbeaten run to the season’s end will be a huge incentive for the Celtic players.
If Brendan Rodgers’ side win their next two games, away to Dundee and Hearts, then they will be crowned Champions at Tynecastle on April 2. Celtic won at both grounds earlier in the season but both were very tight affairs so there will plenty of punters willing to support the Bhoys in these games.
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Celtic are still on course to smash Europe’s largest ever title-winning margin of 31 points, currently held by Paris Saint-Germain (2015/16) and Egyptian side Al Ahly (2004/05). Celtic are currently 25 points ahead of Aberdeen in second spot.
Celtic hold the Scottish record, set in 2013/14 with a 29-point title-winning margin.
But the real target is the Treble and that means winning the semi final against yesterday’s opponents. By the time Celtic take to the Hampden pitch on Sunday April 23, they will know that if they win they will be facing either Aberdeen or holders Hibs to secure the club’s first Treble in 16 years and only the fourth in the club’s history.
