Old Firm derby will be 'phycological' battle - Petrov
Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov anticipates Sunday's Old Firm derby to be more of a "phycological" battle at Ibrox.
Image source, SNSAberdeen have completed the signing of Scotland youth international Mitchel Frame from Celtic for an undisclosed fee.
The 19-year-old has signed a four-year deal at Pittodrie after making just one solitary appearance for Celtic's first team.
Frame, who plays at left-back, came on for the last 15 minutes of Celtic's 2-1 win over Feyenoord in the Champions League group stage back in December 2023.
Most of his experience so far comes in the Lowland League, but he has also made numerous appearances for Scotland's under-17 and under-19 youth teams.
"We have been monitoring Mitchel's progress for some time, and we are very pleased we have eventually managed to sign him", said Dons boss Jimmy Thelin.
"He is a forward-thinking full back, with pace and physicality, and he fits well with how we want to play and what our expectations are of our full backs. His arrival will also give us more resilience and stability in that area of the pitch.
"He's an exciting talent and we look forward to working with him to help him release his future potential."
Image source, SNSArne Engels believes he is up to the challenge of winning back his starting spot at Celtic.
The midfielder joined the Parkhead club last summer from Augsburg and scored 10 goals in 52 appearances for Brendan Rodgers' side.
But the Belgian has lost his place to this year's summer signing Benjamin Nygren, who has scored three goals in three Premiership appearances.
However, Engels is determined to regain his place in the team.
"I wanted to start more games, of course I wanted to play more," the 21-year-old said. "Every player here wants to play a lot of games and wants to play everything.
"It's now up to me to work myself back into the team and show what I can bring and what maybe they are missing. That's just up to me to now show it in training and show it when I'm coming on.
"If you're at a big club, then there will always be competition in every position. Of course we have a lot of good players here, but I don't need to be afraid of somebody here.
"I just need to work on myself, work on the things I need to improve and I'm sure I will bounce back and be back in the team.
"I've had those challenges already in the whole of my career. I know what I need to do to go back into the team and what I need to do to get better.
"So it's not something new I'm really stressing about. I know what I'm capable of and I know what I can bring to the team and I hope I can do that in the next games."
Image source, SNSCould the Scottish Premiership title be decided before August is out?
BBC Sport pundit Pat Nevin is suggesting that could be the case if champions Celtic beat Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.
Celtic are the only side with a 100% win record in the league, while new Rangers head coach Russell Martin has opened with three draws.
Both teams will be smarting from Champions League qualifying exits, with former Scotland winger Nevin calling defeats to Kairat and Club Brugge "totally, dreadfully, awfully disastrous".
Previewing the big game at the weekend for BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: "It will be the usual. They will be flying at each other. The atmosphere will be phenomenal.
"And and it might even be a good game because they are probably better matched than they have been for a wee while.
"For Rangers, there is gigantic pressure. Certainly for Martin it's huge.
"Rangers have three points out of nine. To have three points out of 12, you almost think the league is over four games in.
"Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but it's a horrible thought, so Rangers will, or should, come out fighting."
On Rangers' heavy aggregate loss to Club Brugge, Nevin said "nine was probably kind", but he was equally scathing of Celtic's efforts against Kazakh opposition.
"Celtic fans and the manager will be absolutely devasted to miss out on the Champions League," he said.
"To go almost three hours against Kairat and not score is unthinkable.
"But they are lacking a lot of creativity in comparison with last season."
We asked for your views on Celtic facing Roma, Braga, Sturm Graz and Utrecht at home, and Feyenoord, Red Star Belgrade, Midtjylland and Bologna away in the league phase of the Europa League.
Here's what some of you said:
Kevin: Roma, Feyenoord and Bologna will all defeat Celtic - potentially heavily, - away from home, and Brendan Rodgers' side will be lucky to get two points at home against Sturm Graz and Braga.
Jackie: Celtic won't qualify from their group, more embarrassment to come. Rodgers needs to go now. The board are only interested in making money for themselves. They don't care about the club and care even less about the fans.
Peter: Highly unlikely to win a match with the squad we currently have. None of the recent signings have any pedigree. Still no proven goal scorer. No midfield ball-winner, the prospects are grim.
Steve: Based on last season, we can make the knockouts. That's if the board get a striker, winger and left-back in before the deadline. This board have rarely taken European football seriously and that often buckles us.
Thomas: After the qualifiers we've just witnessed, I don't think we can be confident ahead of any of these fixtures.
Michael: With the current squad, we'll be lucky to take five points out of that draw. Best to concentrate on the league and trying to build a squad, maybe with a new manager for next year.
Image source, SNSRangers boss Russell Martin refused to confirm if midfielder Nicolas Raskin was in his squad following reports that the midfielder was left out of first-team training.
Celtic are set to hand a debut to Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Uruguayan left-back Marcelo Saracchi could potentially be involved if he is registered in time.
Anthony Ralston is expected to shake off a knock while Auston Trusty (foot), Alistair Johnston (hamstring) and Jota (knee) miss out. And there have been talks with Swansea over a potential move for Adam Idah.
Adam Idah completed a medical and agreed personal terms pending a £7m switch to Swansea City, but Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers demanded he return until a replacement is signed, with the Scottish champions in advancing in talks for Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg. (Sky Sports), external
Anderlecht are not in an advanced stage of talks with Celtic for Kasper Dolberg, with the Danish striker having not asked to leave the Belgian club, and although the Scottish are interested, so are Borussia Mönchengladbach. (Sacha Tavolieri on X), external
Anderlecht have told Celtic to increase their offer for Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg, with the Scottish champions prepared to pay about £8m to land the 27-year-old as a replacement for Swansea City target Adam Idah but yet to meet the Belgian club's asking price or the player's personal terms. (The Herald), external
Kasper Dolberg is close to joining Celtic for around £8m, with the Danish striker, signing a four-year contract as Anderlecht look to boost their finances after losing in Conference League qualifying. (Bold), external
Negotiations between Celtic and Anderlecht for Kasper Dolberg are said to be progressing well and there is a willingness from all parties to get a deal done for the Scottish champions' number one target. (Anthony Joseph on X), external
Mainz have had two bids rejected for Sturm Graz striker William Boving, but reports of Celtic interest are wide of the mark, with the Scottish champions targeting Kasper Dolberg but without yet matching Anderlecht's valuation. (Mark Hendry on X), external
As Celtic move closer to securing Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg, the Scottish champions also showed an interest in Romania forward Louis Munteanu, but the Cluj 21-year-old prefers a move to La Liga. (TeamTalk), external
Celtic have made a second offer worth £4.7m - an initial fee of £3.9m with £800,000 in add-ons - for 23-year-old winger Sebastian Tounekti, with Hammarby having rejected an opening bid of £2.6m earlier this week and demanding £5m. (Anthony Joseph on X), external
Celtic have tabled a new improved £4m bid for Sebastian Tounekti, with Hammarby having rejected a £3m offer earlier this week and the Swedish club reluctant to sell the Tunisian who only arrived from Haugesund earlier this year. (Daily Record), external
Birmingham City have offered about £1.5m for 23-year-old Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun. (Anthony Joseph on X), external
Frustrated Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has not closed the door on leaving the Scottish champions in the near future amid links with a potential switch to Nottingham Forest. (Football Insider), external
Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSSwansea have agreed a fee with Celtic for striker Adam Idah
Manager Brendan Rodgers insists there will be no outgoings at Celtic until the club have replacements in place.
English Championship outfit Swansea City are closing in on a deal for Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah.
But with Celtic yet to replace Kyogo Furuhashi, who left in January, Rodgers isn't keen to let another forward leave without getting a replacement in.
"There's interest in Adam but, obviously, no one can leave here unless we get players in to replace," he said.
"It's as simple as that. There's been negotiations and chatter around it, but I have to have players in here before I can consider letting anyone go.
"I just think it's logical and it's common sense. We're really light in that area of the field.
"And I'm pretty sure there would be a number of clubs that would want some of our players, but there's absolutely no way we can move anyone out unless we have absolute guarantees that there's going to be people to come in to replace."
There is also reported interest in winger Yang Hyun-jun from Birmingham City, but with Jota out injured and Nicolas Kuhn having departed for Como this summer, Rodgers isn't in a rush to lose the winger.
"It's been ongoing for Yang for a little while," he added.
"I understand that when you're a player that's probably been mostly used as a squad player over a couple of years, there comes a point in time and then you maybe want to move on and play.
"But I've been unable to do that because we've needed Yang here. I also know that if he does stay, he has a contribution to make because we need five, six wingers because of the number of games we play, the intensity that we want to play.
"But there has been interest in him. Yet again, I repeat, I can't really do anything unless we have players in."
Celtic signed Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Antwerp on Thursday and have now confirmed Uruguayan left-back Marcelo Saracchi on loan from Boca Juniors.
The club did not add the attacking reinforcements Rodgers craved before the calamitous Champions League play-off defeat to Kairat Almaty, and he has warned the board a change in transfer approach is needed.
"We need to find the solutions as to why we weren't able to strengthen before the games, when clearly we wanted to," Rodgers said.
"We need that in-depth look at that because we can't be in this cycle where we're growing for a couple of years, we get to Bayern Munich, we show great signs and then we stand still. We can't do that."
Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSCeltic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Sunday.
Here are the main points:
With Swansea having agreed a fee with Celtic for Adam Idah, and Birmingham reportedly in for Yang Hyun-jun, Rodgers says there is "absolutely no way" players can leave unless there are "absolute guarantees" that replacements will be signed.
Rodgers confirms Boca Juniors left-back Marcelo Saracchi is "in the building" and expects the deal to be "signed off within a matter of hours".
Rodgers wouldn't be drawn on links to Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg but says he thinks the club will be "pretty busy and active over the coming days" and he seeks more signings "to give us that real depth".
The Celtic boss says rumours of an internal disconnect at the club "couldn't be further from the truth" and the board of directors "bleed for this club".
He stresses the Celtic "will invest" but says the club "need to be better" when it comes to the timing of signings.
On new arrival Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Rodgers says the winger has "the skill to play for Celtic" and is "ready-made to play if needed" in Sunday's derby.
While Rodgers is "bitterly disappointed" not to be in the Champions League, the club are "excited" by the Europa League draw.
Looking ahead to Rangers, Rodgers insists "there's no greater game to come back to" after Celtic's Champions League exit.
He is "pretty sure" Russell Martin "will do really well" as Rangers boss and is expecting a tough game at the weekend.
Image source, GettyCeltic have learned their Europa League opponents.
Brendan Rodgers' side will face Roma, Braga, Sturm Graz and Utrecht at home, with away trips to Feyenoord, Red Star Belgrade, Midtjylland and Bologna in the league phase of the competition.
Fixture details will be confirmed by Uefa this weekend.
Having lost to Kairat Alamty in the Champions League play-off, Celtic are in the Europa League for the first time since season 2021-22.
What do you make of the draw? Can Rodgers' team at least make the play-off rounds?
Image source, SNSRangers are unbeaten in three league meetings with Celtic, winning two of them (D1), more than their previous 12 beforehand (W1 D3 L8).
Celtic have only won two of their past 11 away games against Rangers across all competitions (D3 L6), winning 2-1 in April 2022 and 1-0 in September 2023.
Celtic have won the first league Old Firm derby of a season in seven of the past nine campaigns, the only exceptions coming in 2020-21 (2-0 defeat) and 2021-22 (1-0 defeat).
Rangers have drawn all three of their league games so far this season; on only three occasions have they ever failed to win each of their opening four matches of a league campaign, doing so in 1964-65, 1978-79, and 1983-84. On all three instances, this included a defeat to Celtic.
Having won all three of their league games so far this season by an aggregate score of 6-0, Celtic could win their opening four matches without conceding for the fourth time, after 1906-07, 2010-11 and 2024-25.
Rangers have drawn seven of their past nine league games (W2), including their past four in a row. Only in September 1976, May 1984, and March 2015 have the Ibrox side ever drawn five successive league fixtures, while they could go five top-flight matches in a row without a win for the first time since December 2005.
Of Rangers managers to face Celtic in the league, only two of the past 12 have won their first league Old Firm derby in charge (D4 L6), Ally McCoist winning 4-2 in September 2011 and Barry Ferguson winning 3-2 in March last season.
Benjamin Nygren has the most goal involvements of any player in the Scottish Premiership this season so far (four), scoring (three) or assisting (one) 67% of Celtic's league goals in 2025-26. Nygren also leads all players in the competition for chances created (12) and expected assists (1.64), and is second for both shots (10) and non-penalty expected goals (1.58).
Image source, SNSWe asked for your views after Celtic completed the signing of Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Here's what some of you said:
Andrew: The horse has already bolted. The board need to come out and explain why this transfer couldn't have happened well before the Kairat game.
Arthur: Yet more third-rate, middle-aged players being signed on long-term contracts. With a strike rate of six goals per season, there will be few takers for a 30-year-old winger at the end of his contract. The same applies to Adam Idah, Liam Scales, Paulo Bernardo and others.
John: Too little, too late. We knew there was a final-round qualifying tie for Champions League. Brendan Rodgers had to press the board to do business early in order to integrate new players into pre-season. Sunday's response will tell us exactly how the season will now evolve.
Andy: Hope the lad does well obviously, however the board should hang their heads in shame. Had they got their man a week earlier we might still be in Champions League. Instead we had to start with Yang Hyun-Jun and James Forrest, and while I love both these guys and they give 100% every time, they are very much impact players. So hooray for the new signing but boo to the board for killing our season.
Paddy: For me he has to start on Sunday, we need pace up both wings.
Declan: Celtic should have signed Bojan Miovski, a proven goalscorer in Scotland, for a fee less than that paid for Balikwisha. How many second-rate wingers does Brendan Rodgers need? Celtic are going nowhere fast, and paying over the odds for the privilege.
Celtic have made Anderlecht's Kasper Dolberg, 27, their number one striker target ahead of Monday's transfer deadline. (Sky Sports), external
Swansea City are closing in on the signing of Celtic striker Adam Idah, with the clubs close to agreeing a fee in the region of £7m. (Sky Sports), external
Reports in Sweden suggest Celtic have upped their offer for Hammarby winger Sebastian Tounekti to over £3m. (Daily Record), external
Image source, Getty ImagesGeorge O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, Getty ImagesCeltic have confirmed the signing of Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha, a move which ends months of speculation.
But what qualities does the Belgium Under-21 international bring and should Celtic fans be excited?
Well, if nothing else, Balikwisha provides another option to Brendan Rodgers' frontline.
The manager has spoken at length this summer about needing more quality - and Celtic's limitations in attack were put in sharp focus when they were stunned in the Champions League play-off by Kazakh outfit Kairat Almaty after failing to score in 210 minutes of action.
Balikwisha brings decent European experience, having scored four times and contributed five assists in 22 appearances across Champions League, Europa League and Conference League matches for Antwerp.
One of those strikes came in a 3-1 play-off win over AEK Athens in 2023, a result that earned the club a spot in the Champions League for the first time.
The 24-year-old won both league and cup in Belgium and is capable of playing across the frontline, although has primarily featured on the left flank.
That could mean a switch of wings for Daizen Maeda, or Rodgers might think Balikwisha is versatile enough to play off the right.
In the Belgian top flight, he scored 32 goals and chipped in with a further 15 assists across five seasons for Standard Liege and Antwerp - a more than decent return in a strong division.
Balikwisha could make his debut in Sunday's Old Firm derby and is relishing the prospect.
"I need to be ready because it's the most important game for the fans and for the club," he said.
"If I play in the game, I will give my best to help the team win."
What do you make of Celtic's latest signing? Have your say.
I've never looked for a manager or board to take the blame. You always look at yourself. The Celtic team have to take most of the blame for the Champions League failure because they are the ones playing.
I've played in so many bad games and suffered plenty of defeats and you always look at yourself in the mirror. Did you do enough?
Brendan Rodgers doesn't play the game. All he can do is try and pick the best team. But the players have got to deliver, especially in the big games.
The best remedy for the European disappointment is to win the derby at Ibrox on Sunday - but the criticism that has come Celtic's away after the exit to Kairat Almaty will increase tenfold if they lose to Rangers.
Even though Rangers are having a hard time, the result can go any way. Celtic have to get the Kairat game out of their system.
Despite his clear unhappiness over transfers, I'm convinced Rodgers will see out his contract and stay at Celtic for this season. If he goes after three years, then he's done remarkably well at Celtic. I don't think anybody can say otherwise.
I still think Celtic are the best team in Scotland. Europe is different kettle of fish. I was fortunate enough to play in the two European finals, so I know what it takes to play that level.
I don't think the squad is strong enough to reach the Champions League consistently.
Celtic need a strong Rangers and vice versa, that pushes them. I definitely think you need your closest rival to be strong.
At the minute, Celtic don't have that, and they can win the league while not at 100%. But to get to the level of Champions League football or to make a mark in it, you have to hit the level every single week.
Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSLike many Celtic fans, Stiliyan Petrov says he is still unable to watch the 2003 Uefa Cup final loss to Porto as it is too painful.
The Bulgarian started in Seville against Jose Mourinho's Porto and was substituted in the first half of extra time with the game still poised at 2-2.
A late winner from Derlei broke Celtic hearts and Petrov still finds it difficult to reflect on the game.
"We were so close," he told BBC Scotland's Sacked in the Morning podcast.
"We just couldn't get it over the line. I have never watched that game back, never watched it, never watched it."
Celtic drew level twice on the night through Henrik Larsson goals, after Porto went ahead through Derlei just before the interval and again thanks to Dmitri Alenichev in the second half.
Midfielder Petrov won four league titles, three Scottish Cups and three League Cups with Celtic, as well as the club's player of the year award in 2004-05, but admits their loss in Seville still feels worse than any other final defeat.
"I don't think I'll ever watch it," he added.
"It was really, really painful, but we always accept it when we lose and when you try to challenge for top titles and cups and medals, you have disappointments.
"But this was really hard to take and while it's still painful, it's part of life."
Listen to the full episode of Sacked in the Morning with Stiliyan Petrov
