Out of Europe - Next Up, Celtic Face a Crucial Fortnight

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

By 14 March, they might be cruising in the league with the momentum on their side and into the Scottish Cup last four.

Or, they could be further toiling to defend their title and staring at a silverware-free campaign.

The first stop is a trip to Ibrox on Sunday for a massive league clash, with Celtic trailing Rangers by a couple of points having played one game fewer, with Hearts six clear of the champions.

Then it is a midweek trip to Aberdeen, before returning to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup last eight and then hosting high-flying and tough Motherwell.

Six of their next seven fixtures are on the road compared to Celtic Park. This often-criticized Celtic group is about to be put under severe pressure after a tumultuous opening months of the season.

"We can expect a lot of surprises and changes," stated a former Celtic defender. "It wouldn't shock me if the league is decided on the final day. But they will have to do it over the next five or six games. You have to be relentless, or else they won't take the trophies."

Manager Faces Selection 'Headache'

Despite the 1-0 win over Stuttgart proving moot in Celtic's quest to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, it could still turn out to be significant.

The manager changed a large number of his first eleven and some of the squad members put in eye-catching performances to secure the club's maiden win in Germany.

Luke McCowan calmly slotted the winner after just 28 seconds and was a positive influence, while in the defence, several defenders excelled in a gutsy display.

Murray in particular made his case to start next to Liam Scales. One magnificent defensive intervention stood out and he was confident when defending corners.

But the most discussed display was delivered by back-up goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he played his part in a long-awaited shutout in half a dozen games.

The first-choice goalkeeper has been under intense scrutiny after a string of mistakes. The 26-year-old stepped in and made several crucial stops, in a display described as "flawless" by a club legend.

A former Celtic goalkeeper believes Sinisalo performed well 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 "food for thought".

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

'Pivotal' Rangers Test Awaits

The additional positive of Celtic's win was that they demonstrated they can grind out a victory.

Historically, Celtic have pitched up and naturally looked to dominate the ball from start to finish against every domestic opponent.

But this more fragile side had looked more and more susceptible this year, regularly letting in more than one goal per game.

Having not won at Ibrox in their last four visits and considering Rangers have won their last ten home matches, a show of resilience in Germany was well-timed.

Could Celtic take a somewhat more cautious approach? Right now, it is solely concerning winning.

"You don't have to have most of the ball to win the game," observed an analyst. "You've got to put in the effort, be solid at the back, get a slice of fortune and have a good goalkeeper."

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