Celtic are on the hunt for another domestic treble, but have been forced to turn to an unlikely starter against Heart of Midlothian on Saturday afternoon due to recent developments.
Celtic march on in pursuit of a domestic clean sweep
Despite their imperious Scottish Premiership position, Celtic wilted against Rangers before the international break and now have a point to prove after their rivals cut the gap at the summit with seven league matches left to play.
Admittedly, the Bhoys were missing captain Callum McGregor due to a calf injury. Still, his absence did underline that there is work for Brendan Rodgers to do in the market to ensure he has adequate cover across all fronts.
Making inroads to address the engine room, Kosovo international Elvis Rexhbecaj is reportedly a Celtic target that could be allowed to move on from Augsburg for a sum of £3 million, albeit Parma and Besiktas are also courting his services.
Either way, the immediate task for the reigning champions comes at home to Heart of Midlothian this afternoon. The Hoops stand on the brink of their 13th Scottish Premiership title in 14 years, and claiming three points against Neil Critchley’s side would put the champagne on ice ahead of clashes with St Johnstone and Kilmarnock.
Celtic’s next fixtures across all competitions
Heart of Midlothian (H)
Scottish Premiership
St Johnstone (A)
Scottish Premiership
Kilmarnock (H)
Scottish Premiership
St Johnstone
Scottish Cup semi-final
*SPFL fixture split follows after Celtic vs Kilmarnock
The small matter of a Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden versus St Johnstone is also on the horizon, meaning there is plenty for Rodgers’ group to ponder now that the international break has come and gone.
Having said that, the Irishman is now set to field a rarely seen talent in light of injury frustrations involving one of his key performers over the last week.
Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo in line for Scottish Premiership debut
Speaking ahead of this afternoon’s action, Rodgers confirmed that Viljami Sinisalo will make his Scottish Premiership debut against Hearts in place of Kasper Schmeichel after the latter sustained an injury on international duty with Denmark that is set to keep him out for an indefinite time period.
He stated: “Vil will come in and play, he’s a very talented young goalkeeper, that’s why we brought him here. He was very good in pre-season, been outstanding in training, and what we’ve seen, I’ve seen him grow and develop.
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“Of course, with every player, it’s when you’re out in the arena of Celtic and beyond that, that’s when you’re measured and when you’re judged, but I’ve got no qualms with putting him in.”
Intriguingly, Sinisalo has made just one appearance for Celtic this season since completing a £1 million move from Aston Villa in the summer, which came in a 5-0 victory over Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup.
However, with Schmeichel set for a scan to determine the extent of his injury, a rare opportunity has opened up for the Finland international to stake a claim for the gloves ahead of Scott Bain.
Hearts are set to be a stern test due to their aspirations of claiming a top-six finish, so it will be interesting to see whether Sinisalo stands up to the challenge following Rodgers’ billing of his abilities.