CHAMPIONS Celtic will kick off the campaign to lift six titles in a row away to Hearts on Saturday, August 6, exactly 50 years to the day since Celtic kicked off the most successful season ever against Manchester United.
After the trip to Tynecastle, Brendan Rodgers will have his first Premier League game at Celtic Park against Partick Thistle on August 13.
Many supporters will be wondering why the Scottish Champions have not been given the courtesy of a home match on the opening day as is the tradition. Usually the Champions play at home and unfurl the flag but this with participation in the ICC Tournament a factor Celtic are content to fly the 5 in a Row flag before the first crucial European match.
It will be a hectic period for the new Hoops boss with the club also invited to play in the prestigious International Champions Cup Tournament. He will lead the team against Barcelona, Inter Milan and Premier League champions Leicester City, with games held in Scotland and Ireland over the summer.
Due to the club’s involvement, and with Celtic playing Inter Milan on August 13, the Premiership League flag will be unfurled at the first home Champions League qualifying match, with the date being confirmed on Monday.
That’s followed with a trip to Perth to take on St Johnstone a week later and then the big one against last season’s runners-up Aberdeen who visit Glasgow on Saturday, August 27.
Celtic’s first ever league match game against newly promoted ‘The Rangers’ will take place at Celtic Park on September 10. Celtic’s last ever meeting on home soil against their predecessor club resulted in a 3-0 hammering and Parkhead rocked to chants of “liquidation, liquidation…”
Shortly afterwards Rangers died.
The full fixtures list as they stand at the moment are as follows. Please note that changes are likely depending on what happens in the European competitions and on TV re-scheduling.