Celtic

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The Herald's Stephen McGowan says Celtic were probably overrated by fans and pundits earlier this season, after the Scottish Premiership leaders lost 1-0 at St Johnstone on Sunday.

Brendan Rodgers' side have now lost three of their past six league games, but still hold a commanding lead at the summit of the league table.

McGowan believes Brendan Rodgers' side have become as "unreliable" as Rangers since the turn of the year.

"We talk often about how flaky Rangers are," McGowan said on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast.

"Well, actually, if you look at the stats, they've become just as unreliable.

"Like Rangers, they've lost three of their past six league games.

"Their domestic form in 2024 was impeccable, they only lost one game all year. If you look at this calendar year so far, by 6 April, they've already lost four.

"So I don't think it's time for ringing any alarm bells yet, but equally I think it does show that Celtic probably aren't as good a team as people thought they were."

Celtic fans, we asked for your views on the 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone at the weekend.

Here's what some of you said:

Brian: Lots of mentally tired players in Celtic these days. Hopefully they will bounce back at the next game, still a comfortable lead in the title race. Lots of good players just lacking composure in the final third and lacking a full-time striker.

David: It was obvious from kick off that the Celtic players were complacent and their opponents were much more motivated. Nicolas Kuhn has been woeful in a number of games and Celtic's style of play needs fully functioning wingers. Yang Hyun-Jun needs to start and Luke McCowan should be given a starting berth. Their mindset is not 'on it' and it's not fair on travelling fans.

Martin: An appalling attitude from the players overall. We seem unable to defend cross balls and our finishing was poor. Individuals can have a bad game occasionally, but we seem to have them in unison.

Stephen: That was awful to watch, just awful. Saints deserved their victory, and I hope they can do enough to stay up. Far too many players not showing up at the moment! I'm also at a loss as to why Auston Trusty was brought in to improve our forward advancement on the left, when he then passes the ball across to Cameron Carter-Vickers? Simo Valakari would have known how to set up against Celtic when he managed Riga. As for Brendan Rodgers' strategy? Bring on substitutions around 60 minutes, it's becoming boring and predictable, and I think it's time for change.

Mark: Celtic had enough chances to at least have had a draw, it wasn't a performance to set alarm bells ringing, it was just that we were up against a team that were fighting for their Premiership lives, the title is already won.

George: Well, we've lost at home to Bayern Munich, away to Hibs, at home to Rangers and away to St Johnstone, hardly quality stuff. Looks like some of the players have accepted it's over, definitely not good enough.

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• Graham Carey has assisted three goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other St Johnstone player.

• Adam Idah has attempted five shots, the first time he has attempted at least five shots in a match in the Premiership since facing Dundee United on 15 February 2025 (seven shots).

• St Johnstone have beaten Celtic for the first time in the Premiership since 11 May 2016, a run of 27 games without a win.

• Reo Hatate has attempted five shots, the first time he has attempted at least five shots in a match in the Premiership since facing Kilmarnock on 4 August 2024 (eight shots).

Watch the highlights from St Johnstone's 1-0 win over league leaders Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

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Rangers hope to persuade Greg Taylor to switch from Celtic this summer, but with Dinamo Zagreb, who failed in a January bid, still keen and Major League Soccer clubs also interested, the 27-year-old Scotland left-back will assess all other options before even considering such a controversial move. (Football Insider), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Did you take in Celtic's 1-0 defeat at St Johnstone or were you following from home?

Have your say on the match

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "Bitterly disappointed just in terms of the start of the game. It's happened too many times. I've seen a trend now with us, and it will be interesting between now and the end of the season in terms of mentality. We didn't start the game how we wanted.

"We talked about being a top team and having talent but also having drive, desire and ambition to win and having spirt, and too many of our players have been too comfortable.

"There's no excuse, we also have to give a big, big credit to St Johnstone. We were disappointed in the game in terms of our attitude. Their keeper has made some brilliant saves.

"The first-half mentality and attitude is disappointing. It's around comfort; comfortable is not a physical place and if you get comfortable, you don't do the things physically needed.

"Whereas St Johnstone, I felt, ran for their lives. They thoroughly deserved the win. It's about your mindset, and that is something that concerns me."

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Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park

Maybe Celtic were shocked by St Johnstone taking an early lead and frustrated by some brilliant defending, but they were just off it in Perth.

They just could find an end product, with Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Jota not their usual sparky selves or clinical best.

It won't derail Celtic as they close in on another title, of course, but the fact the loss has delayed any party will not please Brendan Rodgers in the slightest.

He demands intensity and pace in his side's play and, while he got that in patches, Celtic didn't use it well.

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Celtic and Scotland left-back Greg Taylor, 27, could join Dinamo Zagreb as a free agent this summer. (Football Scotland), external

Republic of Ireland forward Adam Idah, 24, must leave Celtic to become a first choice striker, says former club midfielder Scott Allan. (Record), external

Former Scotland midfielder Callum McGregor, 31, believes having a break during international weekends has benefitted him as Celtic captain this season. (Football Scotland), external

Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, 21, sees no rivalry between himself and Rangers counterpart Nico Raskin, 24, in the Belgium squad as he regards them as different types of players. (Record), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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Daizen Maeda is cruising to a host of end-of-season awards as he enjoys his most prolific season in Scotland since signing for Celtic.

The 27-year-old has stepped up in the absence of countryman Kyogo Furuhashi and manager Brendan Rodgers has credited the forward's development to being "a great learner".

"He works closely with Jack Lyons here, one of our young coaches who will focus individually on some of the details on that and what we see in him," Rodgers said.

"He's also very coachable and he's a great learner and that's what you want in your players.

"You can have players that are very good players but they're not very coachable. But his ability to learn is also what has helped him.

"So he gets pointed out items with all the coaches and we'll speak to him as a manager and Jack will do specific stuff with him as well. But all of that he's shown an ability to learn and so that's always a good sign."

Maeda has 10 goals in his last seven league starts and has enjoyed playing in a more central role since Kyogo departed in the winter window to join Rennes.

"Being in the middle of the goal means he's making different runs. He's not where he's ended up crossing a lot on the left-hand side," Rodgers added.

"He's not always in the positions he would be as a central striker but I think we've seen that he can make all the moves and do everything you want in that position.

"His movement, pace, technical ability, but also the hunger and pressing is massive for an attacking team and he's playing ever so well and consistently well."

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Barry Douglas has recovered from a knock while long-term injury victims Uche Ikpeazu, Bozo Mikulic (both knee) and Sam McClelland (achilles) are still missing for St Johnstone.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel faces five to six weeks out with a shoulder injury but Liam Scales returns from a facial injury.

Celtic winger Jota, 26, expects to improve for next season and be formidable as "Jota 2.0". (Herald - subscription required), external

Former Celtic player Peter Grant believes Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Matt O'Riley, 24, could return to Celtic Park this summer. (Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Celtic winger Jota says his ambitions are limitless after adjusting to life back in Glasgow.

Jota left Celtic in July 2023 to sign for Saudi side Al-Ittihad but struggled for game time before a stop-start spell with Rennes in France.

He returned to Celtic in January and has scored four goals in 12 appearances since then.

The 26-year-old admits he was not fully fit when he left Rennes, but is determined to kick on as he builds match sharpness.

"I think it has been a good couple of games," the Portuguese winger said. "Still trying to be in my best shape and I know that will come definitely. But happy at the moment with how things are going.

"We never know how far we can reach, right? So I'm not going to say that I'm aiming for this and then I can actually aim for something else. So I just go day by day working hard and trying to be the best of myself.

"There's always things to get better at and obviously winning titles and making very good performances on the Champions League, that's what you aim for in the end.

"But there's so many things we can always achieve. When you reach a mountain, the top of the mountain, there's always another one to reach again. You reach something, so there's always something new.

"I'm no different to that. I know where I want to go, I know what I want to achieve and that's it."

Jota says minutes on the park are the best way for him to keep improving.

"There's nothing better than playing games," he said. "You'll develop a lot once you're in the zone in the games and you can actually feel the things that happen over there.

"I always say no amount of training will give you what the game can give to you. You can train really hard, that's important, but the game is always the ultimate thing.

"For me, it's what I get most passionate about and that's what I want to perform."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media before the Premiership game with St Johnstone this weekend.

Here are the main points:

• After Kasper Schmeichel was pictured, external back in training this morning despite being ruled out for up to six weeks with a should problem, Rodgers says the goalkeeper "feels good", has "some mobility" and could be "back sooner" but stresses they'll "have to be careful with the blade and his shoulders".

• He adds: "He can do other things so he's out on the training field and working on the technical side of his game."

• On potential league reconstruction, Rodgers says the division "doesn't need to get smaller" but admits he would be happy to see a bigger top flight and thinks it would help "from a football perspective".

• Rodgers was pleased with the response from his players in last weekend's 3-0 victory over Hearts following the disappointing derby loss.

• He is urging Celtic to "be really intense" and show their "authority" against bottom club St Johnstone on Sunday.

• On Daizen Maeda picking up another player of the month award, Rodgers hailed the forward's "remarkable season" as well as the improvement in his technical ability.

• Rodgers is also full of praise for striker Adam Idah, who gives him "something different" despite not getting as much game time as the 24-year-old would hope for. Rodgers says he can't fault Idah's attitude.

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Brendan Rodgers this week confirmed Kasper Schmeichel faces five to six weeks out with a shoulder injury - but might the Celtic goalkeeper return sooner?

Pictures on Friday (above) show the 38-year-old is back on the training pitch with his team-mates before the weekend game with St Johnstone.

While Schmeichel is unlikely to be match ready, and Viljami Sinisalo is poised to again deputise at McDiarmid Park on Sunday, the sight of the Dane back in training will be a welcome boost for Celtic fans as their club bid to complete a domestic treble.

Schmeichel suffered the injury during Denmark's Nations League quarter-final second-leg defeat in Portugal last month.

And while Rodgers this week predicted his number one was likely to be out until May, he did note: "Kasper tends to think it might not be as long as that."

The Celtic manager will be able to provide a further update when he holds his media conference this afternoon.

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Daizen Maeda has made it back-to-back Scottish Premiership player of the month awards after continuing his fine Celtic form.

The Japan forward scored four goals in Celtic's three league games during March as the leaders defeated St Mirren 5-2 and Hearts 3-0 either side of the 3-2 derby loss to Rangers.

Having also netted in the Scottish Cup win over Hibs, Maeda is on 30 goals for Celtic this season and tops the Premiership scoring chart with 15.

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• St Johnstone are winless in 31 meetings with Celtic in all competitions (D4 L27) since a 2-1 league win in May 2016 under Tommy Wright.

• Celtic have won each of their past 15 away games at St Johnstone in all competitions by an aggregate score of 48-9. Only at Partick Thistle (18 – Nov 1995 to Jan 2020) and Queen's Park (19 – Oct 1904 to Sep 1923) have they ever enjoyed a longer away winning run against a particular opponent.

• St Johnstone have won just one of their past six league games (D2 L3), failing to score in their past two. The Perth side last went three successive league matches without scoring in August 2023.

• Celtic's 3-0 win over Hearts last time out was their 20th Scottish Premiership clean sheet of the season in 31 games. Only in 1913-14 have they ever reached 20 clean sheets sooner from the start of a league campaign (27th match).

• Thirty one per cent of Daizen Maeda's Scottish Premiership goals have come in 2025 (11/35). The Japanese forward is looking to become the first player to score in six successive league appearances for Celtic since Odsonne Edouard in February 2021.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wants "huge" transfer backing this summer as the Northern Irishman prepares to sit down for showdown talks over his future in the off-season, when he will have just 12 months left on his contract. (Football Insider), external

Northern Ireland Under-21 midfielder Francis Turley says there was "no chance" of him joining Rangers despite interest from the Ibrox club, Aberdeen, Ipswich Town and Burnley before the 19-year-old achieved his boyhood dream of signing for Celtic in 2022. (Belfast Telegraph), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Games against St Johnstone don't normally feature too prominently on the radar of most Celtic fans. That's all about to change this month.

The two upcoming clashes with Simo Valakari's side will set the tone for the climax to the Parkhead side's season.

The first is this weekend at McDiarmid Park, Celtic's last away league fixture before the Premiership split. Top travelling to rock bottom, having not dropped a single point in Perth in the best part of a decade.

Brendan Rodgers' side scored six without reply the last time they were. The aggregate score so far this season is 10-0 in Celtic's favour. You get the drift. It's the away assignment the champions would have hand-picked at this 'business end' of the season.

Were they to extend their winning streak on Saints' patch from 15 in a row to 16, Celtic would be a maximum of two wins away from the title, with another struggling side, Kilmarnock, coming to Parkhead on the final day before the league divide.

Killie haven't won since mid-February. They haven't won at Celtic Park since 2012. As title run-ins go, the script is looking pretty good for Celtic as they look to get the job done as early as possible.

Plan A is to be just one win away from retaining the title by the time they renew acquaintances with St Johnstone at the national stadium on 20 April with a place in the Scottish Cup final up for grabs.

The speed and skill of Daizen Maeda, Jota and Nicolas Kuhn on the open expanse of Hampden Park will take a lot of subduing. Despite two derby defeats to Rangers this year, Celtic's march towards another treble shows little sign of slowing.

St Johnstone are fighting to avoid relegation and will give everything they have in both matches, with their best chance of success against Celtic clearly coming on their own pitch.

It would be an almighty upset, however, were Celtic not to prevail in both encounters. Which would leave Brendan Rodgers contemplating the final flourish to the season he's been planning for.

BBC Sport Scotland reporter Kheredine Idessane has been answering some of your questions on Celtic.

Prentice asked: Do you think Brendan Rodgers will extend his contract this summer?

Kheredine answered: Yes, but on one condition. He'll have to be satisfied that the board continue to back his European ambitions.

The Parkhead money men loosened the purse strings last summer to pay for Adam Idah, Arne Engels and Auston Trusty. Largely offset, of course, by the sale of Matt O'Riley.

Jeffrey Schlupp and Jota arrived in January, but Rodgers was disappointed another striker wasn't brought in to replace Kyogo Furuhashi, even although Daizen Maeda has more than filled the gap in that sense.

Celtic have to qualify for next season's Champions League, which means the transfer business will have to be done sharp in the summer.

If Rodgers doesn't feel comfortable with the quality, or speed, of the summer signings, that may well determine how long he sees himself at Celtic Park going forward.

Peter asked: Should Celtic try to resign Matt O'Riley and Kyogo? Neither are getting game time with new clubs and could be bought for a fraction of the price we sold them, just like Jota.

Kheredine answered: There's little doubt Celtic would have both of them back, and in a heartbeat. The issue would more lie with the players themselves and whether they see a return to Scotland as the next step in their careers.

Kyogo left to try to get the attention of his national manager before next year's World Cup, feeling that the Scottish Premiership wasn't giving him enough of a platform.

Odd, given two of his former Celtic team-mates - Maeda and Reo Hatate - have been in Japan squads. He also won't make any impression from the Rennes bench.

O'Riley wanted to test himself in England's top flight, for which his all-round game and temperament seemed a natural fit.

Early injury cut his chances to impress at Brighton, and if he does move somewhere I suspect it may be on loan.

I think O'Riley would far rather fight for his place at Brighton or move to another club in England or abroad.

Celtic were thwarted after making a last-gasp bid at the weekend to sign Georgia midfielder Giorgi Kochorashvili for next season, according to reports in Spain, but the 25-year-old, currently in La Liga's second tier with Levante, completed a £5m transfer to Sporting Lisbon. (The National), external

Celtic are likely to sell Japan midfielder Reo Hatate this summer while making another attempt to sign £4m-rated Motherwell 18-year-old Lennon Miller. (Daily Record), external

Celtic have renewed their interest in £5m winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha, whose chance of a move to the Scottish champions in January was ended by injury, with scouts watching Royal Antwerp's 5-1 defeat by Union Saint-Gilloise on Saturday. (Scottish Sun), external

Dinamo Zagreb remain confident of landing Greg Taylor at the end of his Celtic contract this summer after offering the 27-year-old a significant increase on his current deal, but the Scotland left-back also has options in Major League Soccer and they have not been dismissed yet for family reasons. (Daily Record), external

No plans have been put in place ahead of expected celebrations at the end of this year's football season despite a "productive discussion" last week after MSP Kaukab Stewart brought together community councils for Merchant City, Trongate and Calton and representatives for Celtic, Rangers, the Scottish Professional Football League, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council in a bid to avoid the 'disruption' seen in previous years. (The Herald), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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