Celtic

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media before his side's home match against Hearts this weekend.

Here are the key points from his news conference:

• Kasper Schmeichel picked up a shoulder injury on international duty with Denmark but Rodgers doesn't yet know how long the goalkeeper will be out.

• He's confident Viljami Sinisalo is up to the challenge of filling in, saying the Finland international has the right "profile" to play out from the back.

• The Celtic boss says discussions are under way over a new deal for Japan forward Daizen Maeda, whose contract expires in summer 2027. Rodgers would "love" to tie Maeda down to a longer deal, saying: "He earns every penny, we feel as a club he deserves more."

• The Northern Irishman says disappointment has "lingered" from the defeat by Rangers before the international break, but he "won't forget what this team has done this season".

• Rodgers says "the club are dealing with" the situation surrounding Vaclav Cerny's water-squirting celebration in the derby. He adds that the Rangers winger's actions showed "a lack of respect".

• Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Auston Trusty are all available while Liam Scales is still training individually.

• Rodgers expects "a really good game" against Hearts and wants his side to "impose their authority" from the first minute.

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Viljami Sinisalo's last league start was 11 months ago on loan at Exeter City in a 2-1 defeat by Oxford in English League One.

On Saturday the Finland goalkeeper is set to be thrust into the Celtic starting line-up to replace Kasper Schemeichel, who has suffered a suspected shoulder injury on Denmark duty.

Sinisalo has featured just once for Celtic - in the 5-0 Scottish Cup rout of Raith Rovers in February - following his arrival from Aston Villa last summer.

So while the 23-year-old is largely an unknown quantity to Celtic fans, can he prove a safe pair of hands against Hearts on Saturday and beyond?

"The fact Schmeichel has been so dominant and so important for Celtic is one of the reasons we haven't seen Sinisalo this season," said Gemma Fay, the former Celtic and Scotland goalkeeper, on the BBC's Scottish football podcast.

"But as a goalkeeper, these are the types of situations which are more common than not. You often get your break by getting chucked in when there's an injury or a significant drop in form.

"He's a young lad, but if I'm him, I'd be seeing this as an opportunity to stake a claim for that position.

"We don't know how long Schmeichel is going to be out. Suspected shoulder injury, those are not things that heal quickly, especially in a goalkeeping position with the robustness you need in that part of your body.

"So depending on the severity, this could be Schmeichel for the rest of the season and Sinisalo has an opportunity to help Celtic secure the title and show Brendan Rodgers what he can do."

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

Celtic remain comfortably on course for a fourth successive top-flight title, despite their home loss to Rangers last time out.

Brendan Rodgers' side hold a 13-point lead at the top of the division and will be champions if they win their next four matches.

Hearts, on the other hand, have work to do to secure a top-six place and challenge for Europe.

Winning at Celtic Park is a tall order. Hearts have lost 25 of their last 27 visits in all competitions.

But, under Steven Naismith, Hearts did enjoy a 2-0 away win over the champions last season and Rangers have shown Rodgers' men can be beaten in their own backyard.

Should Neil Critchley's team come away empty handed, it could have big ramifications. Hearts are sixth, a point above Motherwell, four points in front of St Mirren and Ross County and two points below Dundee United.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Celtic could be entitled to compensation related to goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel's injury on international duty with Denmark, believes former Fifa official Keith Hackett. (Football Insider), external

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo is raring to go for the final run of games in the season after returning from a seven-week injury lay-off.

The Portugal Under-21 international, who suffered an ankle injury against Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup at the start of February, is back in contention for Brendan Rodgers' side when they face Hearts this weekend.

"I can play football again so I'm really excited for the coming weeks," Bernardo, 23, said.

"The injury was bad but I recovered very well and hopefully I can play from now on.

"It's been a while for me being off the pitch so probably not 90 minutes but I will do the best as I can if the coach wants me to play.

"It was bad when I saw the results of the scan because I thought it was a short time injured and it wasn't.

"I had the opportunity to recover well and to work on other things that I couldn't do during the season. It was a good time to recover and to do other things too."

Bernardo missed key games including the Champions League tie with Bayern Munich and derby loss to Rangers.

Celtic remain 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership though and are in the Scottish Cup semi-finals against St Johnstone, with the midfielder eager to "give it all" between now and the end of the campaign.

"We as a team still have some goals to achieve and we will try our best to do that as soon as possible," Bernardo added.

"For me personally, I want to have good games before the end of the season and do my best every game. Each opportunity that I have, I will try to give it all on the pitch."

• In all competitions, Celtic have won 13 of their past 15 meetings with Hearts, the exceptions being two 2-0 defeats in the league last season (December 2023, March 2024).

• Hearts have lost 25 of their past 27 away games at Celtic in all competitions (W1 D1), losing their latest two in a row without scoring.

• Celtic have lost two of their past four league games (W2), after having only suffered two defeats in their previous 46 in the Scottish Premiership beforehand (W38 D6).

• Hearts have won seven of their 10 league games in 2025 (D1 L2), with only Celtic and Rangers (both eight) winning more times in the Premiership this calendar year so far.

• Daizen Maeda has scored in each of his past seven league starts for Celtic (nine goals); it's the longest run of consecutive scoring starts by any player in the Scottish Premiership since Kevin van Veen netted in 11 in a row from March to May 2023, and the longest by a Celtic player since Anthony Stokes scored in seven in succession from April to August 2014.

Celtic are set to offer Daizen Maeda a new contract amid growing interest in the Japan forward, with the 27-year-old's current deal running out in the summer of 2027. (Scottish Sun), external

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel will miss "a few weeks" as a minimum after picking up a shoulder injury on international duty, according to Denmark manager Brian Riemer. (Ekstra Bladet via Daily Record, external)

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

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Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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With Celtic sweating over the fitness of Kasper Schmeichel, we have crunched the numbers to look at how big a loss the goalkeeper would be.

The 38-year-old has suffered a suspected shoulder injury while on international duty with Denmark, but it remains to be seen how long he faces out.

What is clear, though, is the positive impact the veteran keeper has had on Brendan Rodgers' side since his summer arrival.

The Dane boasts the Scottish Premiership's top save percentage (77%) and has conceded an average of just 0.67 goals per game, which is also the best in the league.

Schmeichel's ability with the ball at his feet has drawn praise and his passing accuracy of 94% backs this up. The next best ranked keeper in the division is Rangers' Jack Butland with 77%.

Many will perhaps feel those numbers should be expected from a Celtic goalie, but the stats are sizeable upgrades on Joe Hart's save percentage (68%) and passing accuracy (88%) from last season.

They are also improvements on the numbers Viljami Sinisalo, who is expected to deputise in Schmeichel's absence, posted while on loan at Exeter City from Aston Villa last term.

The 23-year-old, who has played just once for Celtic since signing last summer, had a save percentage of 70% in England's League One.

However, the Finland international was kept far busier at Exeter than he ever will be playing for Celtic, which he could soon realise if Schmeichel faces a spell out.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

What if the Scottish Premiership was decided on overperforming your expected goals (xG) rating?

You're rolling your eyes, aren't you? Fair enough, but the above graphic still paints an interesting picture.

In the second column you will see each team's current xG tally after 30 games, but the table is sorted based on the third column, which shows how much each side has overperformed or underperformed by.

For example, the chances leaders Celtic have created throughout the season suggests they should have scored around 77 goals, but Brendan Rodgers' side have surpassed that tally with an overperformance of almost 12 goals.

Remarkably, Dundee have overperformed their xG total of 34 by 11 goals. If Tony Docherty's side could sort out their defensive issues, it's safe to assume they wouldn't be fighting for survival.

It's the opposite for Kilmarnock, with their underperformance of 5.5 showing they have struggled to take their chances. Addressing that is key if Derek McInnes wants to pull his side away from the bottom.

Other underperformers include Hibernian, Dundee United and Ross County, while the remainder of the teams in the division appear to be fairly steady.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

As any professional athlete will tell you, peaking at the right time can be a tricky business. You target your big goal, work back from there, and set 'mini-peaks' to get you in the best possible shape when you really need to be.

For Celtic this term, the aim was progress in Europe. Their best performance of the season was arguably in the Allianz Arena last month when they very nearly beat Bayern Munich.

That was peak Celtic and they've not quite been the same since. When you've achieved what you set out to do, a drop-off in form, energy and motivation is almost inevitable.

The levels reached in Munich were enough to give Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala and head coach Vincent Kompany a real scare. Maintaining those standards in a domestic league that you've dominated from start to finish isn't easy.

Celtic have done a good enough job on all fronts, but the wear and tear is beginning to tell. Defeat to Hibs on their return from Munich. Defeat at home to Rangers for the first time in over four years.

The signs are there that after 47 games, Celtic are looking a little laboured as they come up the home straight. Have they got one final push left in them to do the job in style? Or will they breach the tape without a flourish?

There are only so many times you can go to the well. Standout stalwarts in defence like Alastair Johnston and Cameron Carter-Vickers have looked a little out of sorts lately.

Winger Nicolas Kuhn's form has dipped dramatically from the stellar levels that helped him bag 16 goals by the turn of the year.

Callum McGregor played 108 games in the past two completed seasons. He's already clocked up 44 this term. It's little wonder his body is starting to feel the strain.

There's plenty of food for thought for the manager as he plots the way forward to what he hopes will be another domestic clean sweep. St Johnstone block his path to yet another Scottish Cup final.

The Premiership will be all but done and dusted if he can successfully navigate a trip to play struggling Saints in between home games against Hearts and Kilmarnock.

He'll hope injuries to centre-backs Auston Trusty and Liam Scales aren't too serious. The same goes for the problem goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has picked up on Denmark duty.

Where the manager will earn his money in the remaining few fixtures will be the manner in which Celtic finish. Even though the goals have still been coming in big numbers - five against Aberdeen, the same against St Mirren, two against Rangers in defeat - the fast, high-pressing, free-flowing football of earlier in the season has dropped off a couple of notches.

Celtic started slowly last season then came to the boil nicely in the last dozen matches. This time around, they began extremely well, got the bulk of the job done early, and are now looking to find a second wind.

Rodgers also needs to make sure the group is strengthened in the summer by the kind of quality additions that mean he won't need to be overly reliant on a favoured few.

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Denmark's players union is demanding an apology from a journalist following criticism of Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel while the 38-year-old was on international duty. (Sun), external

Comments about Schmeichel's weight are "way over the line", says union rep Michael Sahl Hansen. (Record), external

Viljami Sinisalo, 23, is expected to make his Celtic league debut on Saturday against Hearts, with Schmeichel set to miss out injured. (Sun), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Tino
Fan writer

The last thing Celtic would have wanted to endure after losing a derby was two long weeks to stew over a poor result, but that's exactly what the latest international break has provided.

That void has been filled with no end of reaction, hyperbole and analysis over what went wrong on the day, who was to blame for the defeat, and ultimately what we must do now to resolve matters.

And while it can be debated that the response (from both sides of the divide) has been well over the top, this is Glasgow, and rightly or wrongly that's just the way it will always be, at least until our trip to Ibrox next month.

In the short term however, Celtic's next chance to repair some of the damage will come this very weekend with the visit of Hearts more than welcome after yet another uninspiring break for the national team.

The Edinburgh side seem to have hit some decent form after a torturous start to the season and as a fixture which tends to throw up some drama, it's once again a game to look forward to as Celtic hone in on what would be a fourth consecutive league title.

Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston - fresh from squaring up to each other for the United States and Canada respectively - should be particularly keen to right some of the wrongs from their derby performances, and with the likely return of skipper Callum McGregor we should be well placed to do exactly that.

The debate will rage on about just how vital McGregor is to this Celtic side, but like all good players his talents are noticed most when he's absent from the line-up, and that was no more evident than in the defeat to Rangers.

Aside from his undoubted quality on the ball, it's his patience and ability to control the tempo in such a frantic fixture which makes him so crucial to what Brendan Rodgers wants to do.

And while a succession plan should be under way for a player who turns 32 in just a few months' time, he still has plenty to offer in green and white.

Rodgers too will be smarting from what was just his third defeat in 22 games against Rangers, but as we've seen historically he can be at his very best when the critics are out in force.

And though he won't yet speak of the T-word, should we go on to lift the remaining two domestic trophies of the season that'll be five trophies out of six since his return to Celtic, and 12 in total across both spells.

Not bad for someone who constantly has to justify his managerial capabilities in certain quarters.

But we can discuss all that in May. In the meantime, let's take care of Hearts.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

Celtic are interested in Arne Engels' former Augsburg team-mate Elvis Rexhbecaj, a 27-year-old defensive midfielder from Kosovo who has 18 months remaining on his contract. (Fussball Transfers via Scottish Sun)

Rexhbecaj has already told Celtic he plans to be at Augsburg for the "long term". (Daily Record)

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel's injury is not a minor one, with reports suggesting the 38-year-old was spotted at the airport heading back to Glasgow with his left arm in a sling. (Daily Record)

Former Rangers boss Mark Warburton - now sporting director and head of soccer for new USL franchise Sporting Club Jacksonville - has pitched a cross-Atlantic partnership with Celtic. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Tuesday's gossip.

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Celtic face an anxious wait to learn the extent of a shoulder injury Kasper Schmeichel sustained on international duty with Denmark.

The goalkeeper was hurt in extra-time of the Danes' Nations League quarter-final defeat by Portugal on Sunday night, but played on in clear discomfort as his side had used all their substitutes.

Reports in Denmark on Monday morning suggested Schmeichel, was wearing a sling as the team prepared to fly out of Lisbon Airport.

Danish head coach Brian Riemer admitted after his side's 5-3 aggregate defeat at the Jose Alvalade Stadium that the 38-year-old shotstopper would have been taken off if they had the option of sending on a replacement.

"If it had been possible, I would have replaced Kasper Schmeichel when he was injured, but we had already used all our substitutes," he said. "We talked about taking Kasper off, but he didn't want to go off himself.

"As long as he could stand in goal, it was an advantage for us to have 11 players on the field. The alternative would have been to have only nine outfield players if we had to send a player off."

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Adam Idah silenced his online critics in style by securing the Republic of Ireland's place in Nations League B after rediscovering his love for football at Celtic.

The striker was an unused substitute in their play-off first leg against Bulgaria in Plovdiv on Thursday, but came off the bench at the Aviva Stadium to net the decisive goal in a 2-1 and celebrated by putting a finger to his lips.

The 24-year-old revealed afterwards the gesture was in response to those dishing out abuse online in his direction.

"I saw a lot of stuff online, so it was just telling people to shut up, really," the Celtic forward said.

"I've got over it, I see it all the time and it's exactly what I did tonight.

"That's how you shush them, you let your feet do the talking.

"Obviously I was frustrated with the first game, but I came on today and did what I've been doing all season, so it was just to the people who were doubting me."

Idah has 14 goals this season for the Scottish Premiership leaders and said his time with Brendan Rodgers in Glasgow has helped rediscover his love of football again.

"Ever since I've been at Celtic, Brendan Rodgers has been unbelievable for me," he added.

"It was a fresh start, he made me love football again, he had a lot of faith in me and I'm sure you can see that on the pitch.

"Whenever I play, I play with freedom now and I have scored a lot of goals. It's the most I've scored in a season in my career and I think that's due to the fact that I've had a fresh start at Celtic and the players there, the staff and fans, have all shown belief in me and it's been great."

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, 38, picked up a knock in Denmark's Nations League aggregate defeat-clinching loss to Portugal. (Herald - subscription required), external

Midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, 22, made his debut on loan at Los Angeles FC from Celtic as a late substitute in the 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City. (Sun), external

Jude Bonnar, the 19-year-old Celtic midfielder who scored on his Scotland Under-21 debut in Friday's 2-0 friendly win over Republic of Ireland, says club captain Callum McGregor is his idol. (Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

Private talks between Celtic, Rangers, community leaders, Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland have been taking place in the lead up to Scottish Premiership title celebrations in a bid to avoid "the kind of disorder, vandalism and violence that has been a persistent feature of gatherings at Trongate and George Square at the conclusion of recent football seasons". (The Herald On Sunday), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston's Canada lost 2-0 to Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League semi-finals.

Fulham's Raul Jimenez scored an early opener before doubling Mexico's lead with 15 minutes to go at SoFi Stadium in California.

Johnston played the full game and picking up a first-half booking. Canada now face USA in the bronze medal match on Sunday evening.

Macedonia winger Sead Haksabanovic says a break down in his relationship with manager Brendan Rodgers was the trigger for the 26-year-old's Celtic exit to Malmo last year. (Daily Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic midfielder Jude Bonnar stepped off the bench to score a debut goal as new-look Scotland Under-21s defeated their Republic of Ireland counterparts 2-0 in a friendly at the Pinatar Arena in Spain.

The substitute secured the win after Kilmarnock forward Bobby Wales tapped in an early opener, with replacement goalkeeper Ruairidh Adams also illuminating his first appearance with a late penalty save.

Scotland head coach Scot Gemmill included five debutants in his starting line-up - Hibernian goalkeeper Murray Johnson, Hearts right-back Adam Forrester, Dundee centre-back Luke Graham, Celtic defender Colby Donovan and Manchester City forward Emilio Lawrence.