Celtic

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Sunday's thumping last-four victory over St Johnstone extended Brendan Rodgers' remarkable unbeaten run in the Scottish Cup.

Across 21 ties, Celtic have not lost once under their current boss over both his spells as manager.

The only game they drew after extra time was last season's 3-3 semi-final thriller with Aberdeen, which the Parkhead side went on to win on penalties.

A win in next month's final against the Dons would rack up a fourth Scottish Cup and also secure another treble for Rodgers.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden

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After the shock loss at St Johnstone two weeks ago, much was made of Celtic's reaction to such a rare defeat.

Brendan Rodgers ordered his side "to do something" against the Perth side in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final, according to Arne Engels.

Four goals in 12 fantastic first-half minutes ended the tie as a contest before the break, with Jota wrapping up the dominant win after the break as Celtic set up a final showdown with Aberdeen.

The "energy and motivation" throughout the Celtic team is key, said Belgium midfielder Engels, who is keen to show the high level they can maintain in the final weeks of the season.

"We wanted to show everybody we are ready for the upcoming games now," the 21-year-old added.

"We knew we needed to do something after our last performance against them, so we knew we needed to start really well and start really aggressive and full of energy.

"I think that's what we did, and then you see on a nice pitch we can really hurt everybody and show our qualities.

"We're still full of energy and full of motivation. It's just up to us to now keep this level and keep on performing and also recover.

"We did that really well during the season and I think we will do it in the last weeks too."

Olympiakos head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar has confirmed that Luis Palma will return to Celtic this summer as the Greek champions will not activate a £3.5m purchase clause after the 25-year-old Honduras winger made just two league starts during his loan spell. (Glasgow Times), external

Arne Engels says he does not care that some critics suggest Celtic overpaid to sign him in an £11m summer transfer from Augsburg and the 21-year-old midfielder feels he is in a good place to further develop. (Scottish Sun), external

Celtic, who qualified for the knockout play-off round of the Champions League, banked £16m more from European performance payments this season than Rangers, who made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. (The National), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden

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Since returning from a loan stint with Aberdeen at the beginning of last season, Liam Scales has been a different defender for Celtic.

From squad player to superb starter last term, the Republic of Ireland international is grateful for his spell in the Granite City.

A place where he made plenty of pals, he will come up against those familiar faces in the Scottish Cup final.

However, those relationships will be put to one side at Hampden next month.

"I still chat to a few of them, and whenever we play against them I'll catch up with them," the centre-back said. "But they won't be pals on the day."

On the subject of friendships, Scales, who started at Hampden, said he and fellow defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Maik Nawrocki are all tight but ultimately in healthy competition with each other.

"We're all in competition with each other for the two [centre-back] places and I think that's healthy," he added.

"So we're all friends, we're not going to say we're not, but the competition is there and we know what the goal is to play, which is good."

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland

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Three of Hibernian, Dundee United, Aberdeen and St Mirren will join Celtic and Rangers in Europe next season after Brendan Rodgers' treble-chasing side reached the Scottish Cup final.

Had bottom-six sides St Johnstone or Hearts progressed through the last-four stage, they could still have claimed the European place awarded to the cup winners.

But that is no longer a possibility, which adds another layer of intrigue to the post-split fixtures in the top half of the division.

So what do we know?

Well, Celtic have secured a place in the Champions League qualifiers and will enter at the play-off round assuming they clinch the title.

Rangers will almost certainly be in that competition, too, but at the second qualifying round stage.

After that, there remains a wee bit of uncertainty.

The Scottish Cup winners earn a spot in the Europa League play-off round, so if Aberdeen upset Celtic at Hampden on 24 May, that's straightforward.

However, should the holders retain the trophy, the place would go to whoever finishes third in the league.

Currently, that's Hibs. But United and Aberdeen and St Mirren - albeit the arithmetic is hugely against them - are still in the mix.

Given whoever it is would be guaranteed - at worst - a six-game Conference League campaign, it's a lucrative prize for their season's work.

But two of the clubs who miss out on third would still be rewarded.

Fourth place would be upgraded from Conference League second qualifying round to the Europa League equivalent, with the Conference spot going to fifth place.

Read more: Premiership quartet fight for three European spots

We asked for your views on Celtic's 5-0 win against St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-finals at Hampden.

Here's what some of you said:

John: Another great display. I do however have a gripe. When we're winning with comfort we tend to start easing off, understandable, but a game lasts 90 minutes and I want to see more goals. That's what football is basically about. But well done.

Stephen: Much better performance. Once the first goal went in, the confidence grew. Could've been a lot more. Such a shame the worldie that St Johnstone scored was ruled out. Let's win all our remaining games and extend manager Brendan Rodgers' unbeaten Hampden run.

Jim: St Johnstone tried to stifle us and it worked right up until the first goal, after that it was men against boys and we never looked like losing. Another captain's performance from Calum McGregor and eight-out-of-10 performances from the rest of the team. Another treble on the way.

Roz: Slow start to the game, but the cup holders stepped up their game with the captain leading the way. When Celtic move the ball quickly, there are few teams in Scotland who can compete for 90 minutes. Celtic, whether you love them or loathe them, have managed their finances and their team well over the past few decades.

John: Celtic doing what Celtic do best. Seven players on 10-plus goals, not so long ago lots of fans were worrying we hadn't replaced Kyogo Furuhashi. The stats speak for themselves, on the verge of a record-breaking ninth treble and trophies number 120 and 121. It is so great to be a Celtic fan.

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With James Forrest closing in on becoming Celtic's most decorated player, the veteran winger's influence on the squad does not go unnoticed.

Following Sunday's thumping Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone, fellow forward Jota expressed how much the 33-year-old is idolised by his team-mates.

Forrest moved level with Celtic legend Bobby Lennox as the club's most decorated player following December's Scottish League Cup triumph over Rangers.

He will move out on his own on 26 major honours when the Parkhead side inevitably clinch the Scottish Premiership title - and another Scottish Cup trophy next month would extend that tally further.

"Yeah, he's a humble player, humble person," Jota said of Forrest. "There's not a single person in the locker room that doesn't love James.

"He's a breath of fresh air. Everyone loves to play with him, to hang out with him. And, yeah, we're just learning from him.

"If we can help him achieve [becoming Celtic's most decorated player], that's what we're looking for."

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Captain Callum McGregor was "really happy" to see Celtic team-mate Adam Idah "put a lid on it" as the striker responded to a difficult week by netting in the 5-0 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone.

Manager Brendan Rodgers defended Idah's professionalism prior to the Hampden tie after footage emerged on social media of the Irishman's midweek night out, which included footage of him appearing to throw up in a taxi.

The 24-year-old retained his place in the starting line-up and netted from close range as Celtic hit four goals in 12 minutes before the interval.

McGregor, who scored the opener in the resounding win, said: "Listen, young boys will be young boys and that's fine. No problem with that.

"He was off the next day. The boys are happy and free to do whatever they want. And as long as he's producing in training and games, then it's not really an issue for anyone.

"So I'm really happy for him. He gets his goal, he contributes to the team, and obviously that will help him confidence-wise.

"Listen, we know what it's like. We live a life in the public eye and everybody's desperate to get something off you. And that's just the way the world is these days.

"So we have to try and be smart about it. But, like I said, the thing that we'll judge him on is based on performances in training and games, and he's done that.

"It's nice just to put a lid on it. That's it, done now. Everybody just move on and life moves on as normal."

Rangers' big money takeover is edging ever closer, but Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises are leaving it really late in terms of putting down the building blocks to make themselves competitive with champions Celtic in time for the start of the next season. (Daily Record), external

Rangers' new manager will be given the financial backing needed to close the gap on Celtic this summer, with 49ers Enterprises arriving as majority owners in June. (Football Insider), external

Of the three players out on loan from Barcelona, Alex Valle is the only one with a chance of returning to stay, but the 20-year-old left back who is on loan to Como after his spell with Celtic was cut short, is being assessed by his parent club amid interest from Borussia Dortmund. (Mundo Deportivo), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Celtic fans, what did you make of your side's performance at Hampden as they swept past St Johnstone to reach the Scottish Cup final? Who did you think were the standout performers?

Have your say on the game.

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It was a captain's display from Callum McGregor at Hampden, delivering the opening goal and playing a crucial role in the second.

Brendan Rodgers called him "unique" and the "tempo setter" post-match.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Full-back Alistair Johnston said last week the defeat in Perth was a well-needed wake-up call for Celtic. Well, they were alive and kicking here.

When in such a frightening mood, no one can lay a glove on them domestically.

The speed they hit, the ferocity they pounced with and the intent they showed were all of the highest of level. It really was a matter of how many they wanted.

Daizen Maeda and James Forrest ran riot down the flanks and there was a scarcely believable amount of space for the midfielders to work their magic.

To be able to bring on Nicolas Kuhn, Jota, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo with the game long done and dusted, is a luxury every team in the land must envy.

Brendan Rodgers' remarkable record at Hampden was never in doubt of being spoiled, and should his side turn up in similar fashion next month against Aberdeen, you'd expect it would remain intact then, too.

Yet another domestic treble appears only a matter of 90 minutes or so away. Doing so at such apparent ease is quite the indication of their superiority.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "Very impressed.

"You'd expect them to have confidence and start the game aggressively, but we kept that mentality and once we got the opening goal, we could go on and produce a brilliant performance.

"[Callum McGregor] is such a unique player, tempo setter for the team. He's tactically so good, he really is a coach on the pitch. He sees all the pictures we want and he knows when to release himself to shoot or create goals. A wonderful player who is the glue for this team. A really special player.

"Today was about getting into the final and the players did that with a great performance. Our concentration level was very high, scored five and could have had one or two others.

"Five league games [left] and we want to finish as well as we can. It's been a long season, the players have put in so much work - it's been phenomenal. We go into a five-game situation now and we want to finish top of that mini league."

Dundee United will strongly argue their case after Celtic contacted the SPFL regarding an alleged pricing discrepancy for their visit to Tannadice next weekend. (The Courier), external

Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.

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The PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year has been revealed and seven Celtic players have been included.

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been picked between the sticks by fellow players.

Right-back Alistair Johnston and centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers have been included in the back line while midfielders Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate have also been chosen.

Forwards Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda make up the front three.

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Goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo says he sees himself becoming number one at Celtic.

The Finn joined the Hoops from Aston Villa last summer and has been in the starting line-up for their previous three fixtures while Kasper Schmeichel recovers from a shoulder injury.

With Schmeichel still out, Sinisalo will get a chance to showcase himself on the Hampden stage in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final and the 23-year-old is hoping he is on a journey towards becoming Celtic's first-choice keeper.

"Yes, that's always been the aim," he said. "That's the whole plan of me coming here.

"I want to play for this football club. I want to be the number one here. That's been the aim since the first day I walked into this football club.

"I'm trying to do my best. Hopefully the performances can show that and the way I train every day can show that I can be that.

"Kasper's been brilliant. Me and him have a great working relationship and we're great friends with each other. He's a brilliant goalkeeper. He's done really well for the football club.

"With the career he's had, I'm there to learn from him. Hopefully one day I can be a number one here, but that's ultimately the plan."

As they prepare to go head to head at Hampden on Sunday, watch Celtic's previous Scottish Cup semi-final meeting with St Johnstone as a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink double earns a 2-1 win in 2007.

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