Out of Europe - Next Up, Celtic Confront a Critical Fortnight

With the Europa League behind them, Celtic now face a campaign-altering fortnight.

By 14 March, they could be motoring in the league with the momentum on their side and through to the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Or, they might find themselves still struggling to defend their title and staring at a silverware-free campaign.

The initial challenge is a trip to Ibrox on Sunday for a huge league encounter, with Celtic behind Rangers by two points after playing one game less, with Hearts six points ahead of the champions.

Then it is a midweek trip to Aberdeen, before heading back to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final and then welcoming in-form and formidable Motherwell.

Six of their following seven matches are away from Celtic Park. This much-maligned Celtic squad is set to be put under severe pressure after a tumultuous opening months of the season.

"There will be a lot of twists and turns," commented a ex-Celtic player. "I wouldn't be surprised if the league is decided on the final day. But they must prove themselves over the coming handful of games. You have to be utterly consistent, or else they won't take the trophies."

Manager Faces Selection 'Conundrum'

Despite the 1-0 win over Stuttgart being ultimately irrelevant in Celtic's bid to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, it could still turn out to be important.

The manager rotated eight of his first eleven and some of the fringe players delivered eye-catching performances to claim the club's maiden win in Germany.

Luke McCowan calmly slotted the decisive goal after under half a minute and played positively, while in the defence, Dane Murray stood out in a resilient display.

Murray in particular stated his claim to start next to Liam Scales. A superb defensive intervention stood out and he was confident when defending corners.

But the most talked-about display was saved for second-choice goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he played his part in a first Celtic clean sheet in six matches.

The first-choice goalkeeper has been under intense scrutiny after a string of mistakes. The Finnish stepped in and made several crucial stops, in a display described as "flawless" by a club legend.

A former Celtic goalkeeper is of the opinion Sinisalo did enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.

"He had some excellent saves and looked composed when he had the ball and read the game well," was the assessment. "It's a big decision to make at the weekend. On that performance, I would be giving him the nod. Give him a run in the team now."

The Celtic manager agreed that a number of individuals have given him "plenty to consider".

"[Sinisalo] played brilliantly in the game, really well. That's the name all round the dressing room," the manager commented. "He's got plenty of talent."

'Critical' Rangers Challenge Lies Ahead

The other benefit of Celtic's win was that they showed they can battle to a victory.

Over the years, Celtic have pitched up and naturally looked to dominate the ball from the first whistle to the last against every Scottish rival.

But this less robust side had looked increasingly vulnerable this year, regularly letting in more than one goal per game.

Without a victory at Ibrox in their last four visits and considering Rangers have won their past 10 home matches, a show of resilience in Germany was well-timed.

Might Celtic take a somewhat more cautious approach? Right now, it is all about winning.

"You don't have to have most of the ball to win the game," observed an analyst. "You've got to work hard, be solid at the back, get a bit of luck and have a reliable shot-stopper."

"Celtic have not played well this season, but they are hanging in there [in the league]. They still have a chance, with a game in hand. The players will pick up great confidence from tonight - the weekend will be a decisive one."