Celtic

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• Celtic have scored in each of their last nine games in the Premiership, scoring 30 goals in that run.

• Aberdeen have conceded 13 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Ross County (16) and Hibernian (15) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Alistair Johnston has assisted seven goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no player has more.

• Daizen Maeda has scored 11 goals in the Premiership this season (two in this game), more than any other Celtic player.

• Aberdeen have scored 12 goals via substitutes in the Premiership this season, only Celtic (17) have scored more.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Daizen Maeda is the "symbol of this team" after the Japan forward took his goal tally to 25 for the season in Tuesday's win over Aberdeen.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers believes Daizen Maeda's incredible goal-scoring form will bring "attention" from clubs around Europe after the Japan forward scored his 24th and 25th goals of the season in Tuesday's 5-1 win against Aberdeen. (Daily Record), external

Celtic defender Greg Taylor missed Tuesday's victory over the Dons after his wife went into labour. (Scottish Sun), external

Celtic fans, were you at Parkhead to watch your team demolish Aberdeen to get back to winning ways, or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here., external

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Daizen Maeda's relentless approach and seemingly boundless energy burned to the fore once again as Aberdeen were swept away.

The Japanese forward's double moved him onto 25 goals for the season, book-ending another strong performance with predatory finishes.

Whether deployed on the left or through the middle, he spearheads the Celtic attack brilliantly.

Alistair Johnston, on his 100th Celtic game, patrolled the right flank well and contributed a Premiership-leading eighth assist for Maeda's second.

Luke McCowan brought customary dynamism and accuracy off the bench as the game broke up in the final throes.

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Celtic's vast arsenal of attacking weaponry was not required here.

The league leaders were hardly irrepressible. Their distribution was a little off, their timing not quite in sync, and connections not as crisp as they often are.

There were shaky moments defensively, if nothing to induce palpitations among the locals.

Yet by the time the teams trooped off at the break, Celtic had built an unassailable lead. Where Aberdeen squandered their openings, their hosts feasted on slackness.

They played much of the contest in second gear, but second gear was plenty.

Luke McCowan, Yang Hyun-jun and Adam Idah made influential contributions off the bench. The tireless Daizen Maeda buzzed around like a wasp. Their persistence and willingness to recycle possession was telling even when so many attacks were fruitless.

After the gut-wrenching Champions League exit in Munich, and the angst-ridden loss at Easter Road, a perfunctory home win will do just fine.

Tino
Fan writer

While some of us are still ruing the injury-time equaliser that sealed Celtic's Champions League exit in the cruellest fashion last week, Brendan Rodgers has already turned attention to ensuring we're back at the top table again next season.

And that's the way it has to be at Celtic. Standing still, as they say, is one of the quickest ways to move backward, and what Celtic can't do at this juncture is sit back and simply admire what's been achieved.

This season's Euro adventure, which finally saw a more mature Celtic on the big stage, must now be viewed as a platform for the club to build on.

And what an opportunity to do so.

Financially, Celtic have never had it so good. In our manager we have someone who fully understands the club, and who has developed since his own exit first time around.

And on the pitch we have some bona fide talents who have proven themselves more than capable at this level. Nicolas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda and Alistair Johnston to name but a few.

We know too that we'll go into next season bolstered by the additions of Jota and Kieran Tierney from the start of the campaign. Two undoubted personalities that again will make us better on the big stage.

This season the manager has been brave, so too have his players, and should the Celtic board follow suit in the upcoming summer transfer window then there will be lots to look forward to in 2025-26.

With the acquisitions of Arne Engels, Adam Idah and Jota among others – for a combined total in the region of £28m - the club have shown already their belief in Rodgers in the clearest way possible.

If that pattern continues - and there's no reason to think it won't - this Celtic side can only get better, both at home and abroad, under Rodgers' guidance.

To return to the Champions League of course requires two things to happen. Firstly, we have to reclaim the Scottish Premiership title. And with a 13-point lead and just 11 games remaining we're firmly in the driving seat to do so.

Beyond that we'll then have a two-legged qualifier to negotiate in early August, against opponents as yet unknown.

But to even get to that stage - as the manager so often reminds us - we can only take it one game at a time.

That puts Aberdeen firmly in the crosshairs at Celtic Park tonight as the Bhoys look for the win that will put the weekend's rare domestic loss to Hibs to bed.

Should they secure all three points then the countdown is absolutely on for a fourth consecutive title, which would pave the path for our next European adventure. One where we'll all be looking to that elusive next step forward.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

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• Celtic are unbeaten in their last 28 meetings with Aberdeen in all competitions (W22 D6) since a 1-0 defeat at home in May 2018.

• Aberdeen remain the only side to avoid defeat and to even score away to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership this season, having drawn 2-2 at Celtic Park in October.

• Celtic have won their last nine home league games by an aggregate score of 32-0. Never before in the club's history have they won 10 in a row at home without conceding.

• Aberdeen have only won one of their last 11 league games played on a Tuesday (D5 L5), a 3-0 win away at Ross County in January 2024.

• Celtic's Jota has scored five Scottish Premiership goals against Aberdeen – his most against any opponent in the competition.

Celtic are in talks with the Scottish FA regarding Daizen Maeda's controversial disallowed goal in Saturday's Premiership defeat by Hibernian. (Scottish Sun), external

Full-back Alistair Johnston insists Celtic's only focus is on themselves despite the upheaval at Ibrox. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers insists his players are "hungry to respond" after Saturday's narrow defeat to Hibs at Easter Road.

The league leaders had a late equaliser ruled out in Leith, condemning Rodgers' men to only their second Premiership defeat of the season.

The Northern Irishman is hoping for a response on Tuesday night when Aberdeen travel to Parkhead, having come from behind last time in Glasgow to snatch a point.

"It's the professionalism and the focus which is very important," the manager said.

"We obviously need to bounce back from the weekend but the weekend was another opportunity for us to show that when you're not quite on it then teams can hurt you.

"It's also a great measure of how focused and professional the team have been, that we've had very few slip ups over the course of the season. But we did at the weekend.

"We're hungry to respond now and it's at this time of the season where you've really got to narrow in your focus into your performance, into your recovery, into your preparation and just focus on the next game."

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Aberdeen on Tuesday night.

Here are the main points:

• Feels Celtic should have taken something from the game against Hibs but insists they "have to move on" and focus on the next game.

• On the disallowed equaliser, says "we don't make statements" but the club are going through the relevant procedures although they haven't heard anything back yet.

• Says he's "disappointed" for Philippe Clement losing his job and insists he's "a very good manager" but also acknowledges the "relentless pressure" on managers in Glasgow to constantly win.

• On team news, Rodgers says it's the same from the weekend with James Forrest and Paulo Bernardo still "a bit away" from returning.

• Rodgers "expects" and "has prepared for" a really tough game against Aberdeen on Tuesday night.

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Brendan Rodgers insisted there were "no excuses" for his side's performance against Hibs, despite the midweek Champions League exertions.

Celtic pushed Bayern Munich all the way on Tuesday, almost forcing extra-time before a 94th-minute equaliser ultimately knocked them out of Europe.

However, they fell to Hibs at Easter Road thanks to Josh Campbell's first-half double and were unable to come back from two goals down.

"Listen, it's football, it's sport," Rodgers said. "We were brilliant during the week, we don't want to have any excuse for fatigue, tiredness.

"You're at a big club, you've got to get used to being tired and playing through that. We just weren't quite on it."

"We'll analyse the game but there's no real time to overthink it. It's a disappointing result for us, no doubt, but we'll get back on the horse again, get our recovery started and get ready for Aberdeen on Tuesday night, which is an important game for us."

Watch highlights as Hibs win 2-1 against Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Celtic's disallowed goal.

We asked for your views on Celtic's 2-1 defeat against Hibs.

Here's what some of you said:

Malcolm: Celtic seem to carry a European hangover, but their defending, namely Alistair Johnston, was all about ball-watching and not defending the area or marker. It was a marvellous performance in Germany, but absolutely unacceptable defending back home. Complacency or hangover, we can't take anything for granted.

Brenda: Brendan Rodgers' tactics and 4-3-3 formation are outdated and predictable. Adam Idah poses no goalscoring threat, so opponents can attack at will, as Hibs and Bayern Munich proved.

Only when Daizen Maeda went to centre-forward did Celtic look like scoring. Nicolas Kuhn is too slow for a winger, and too greedy, cutting in too often to try and score. Time to retire, Rodgers.

Jim: It was always going to be a tough game after the Bayern match, as it takes two to three days to get stamina levels back. We were poor in the first half, but overall not too bothered as we have a huge gap at the top and ball was out for the disallowed goal. Idah needs to give more if he wants to be main man.

Tom: A bit off the pace in the first half but deserved at least a point, Hibernian defended well in the second half. VAR decision was guess work, the assistant did not flag and the on field decision should have stood. I thought Jota was outstanding when he came on.

Paul: We were very poor in the first half. Second half we were better, but we had a mountain to climb. Hats off to Hibs, they played well and are on a good run of form. In all honesty, I didn't think the ball was in for our disallowed goal. I think the right call was made. We go again on Tuesday.

Sam: We have a huge squad, we should of had wholesale rotation. This is on Rodgers. Credit to Hibs for their solid performance.

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• Hibernian are undefeated in their last 11 games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 31 January 2018 to 5 May 2018, a run of 12 games.

• Hibernian have avoided defeat in their last seven matches when scoring first in the Premiership, since a 1-4 loss to Dundee on 23 November 2024.

• Hibernian have scored 10 goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half, only Celtic (16) have scored more in the Premiership this season.

• Hibernian are unbeaten in their last 22 Premiership matches when leading at half-time (W16, D6) dating back to 18 March 2023 against Celtic (L1-3).

• Nectar Triantis has assisted four goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

• Daizen Maeda scored his ninth goal in the Premiership this season, a new career high in a single edition of the tournament.

• Celtic have scored in 25 of their 27 games, more often than any other team in the Premiership this season.

Celtic fans, what did you make of your side's Premiership loss against Hibs at Easter Road?

Did you feel Daizen Maeda's disallowed goal should have stood late on?

Have your say on the game., external

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Brendan Rodgers and his players will know they didn't reach their best levels at Easter Road, but they felt they should have taken a point from their trip to Leith.

Daizen Maeda poked home from close range after Marvin Ekpiteta and Jordan Smith failed to deal with Johnston's low ball in from the right.

The goal was given before VAR intervened to say the ball had gone out of play before Alistair Johnston got to it.

The Scottish FA says VAR checked and the 18-yard line camera showed the ball had indeed crossed the byeline, but it did not stop Rodgers protesting to referee Steven McLean after full time.

Celtic had forced their way back into the contest through Maeda's trademark persistence, beating Smith to Reo Hatate's scuffed shot when all others appeared to have given up on the chance.

Regardless, they are still in total control of the Premiership title race, and will look to return to winning ways against Aberdeen on Tuesday.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "I felt we deserved something from the game.

"We didn't start the game well, clearly. They get the goal early - that gets the team and crowd up. We were a little bit rushed in the first half, just tried to force it and then concede a disappointing goal right on half-time.

"The players were excellent second half, forced the game, put a lot of pressure on and get the goal.

"Then there's the talking point. I was very disappointed we didn't get that especially when the linesman didn't think it was out. He probably has the best view in the whole stadium.

"I don't know how you can tell the ball is definitely out from an image from the 18-yard line. We need to see evidence the ball was out. If you don't have that, you're having a guess.

"Congratulations to Hibs, they defended the box well and our decision-making wasn't quite there. We got punished for our first-half performance."

Crystal Palace, Everton and Leeds United are among the clubs who have set their sights on Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn. (TBR Football), external

Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn is on a three-man summer shortlist for Eintracht Frankfurt, along with Freiburg's Ritsu Doan and Strasbourg's Dilane Bakwa. (Frankfurter Neue Presse, external, in German)

Jeffrey Schlupp is not ruling out extending his stay at Celtic beyond his loan arrangement from Crystal Palace, with the Dutchman a free agent at the end of the season. (Daily Record), external

Celtic need "bold moves" to support manager Brendan Rodgers to make sure this season's Champions League progress is not wasted, says the club's former striker Chris Sutton. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

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