Aberdeen v Celtic Match Preview – Champions to edge tight encounter

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The Celtic Star

·10 August 2025

Aberdeen v Celtic Match Preview – Champions to edge tight encounter

It’s fair to say Celtic underwhelmed slightly in their first league game against St Mirren. That makes the thought of a trip to Pittodrie – particularly with Brendan Rodgers left short of attacking options – a little less comfortable than usual.

Luke McCowan of Celtic celebrates with teammates Callum McGregor & Johnny Kenny after scoring to give Celtic a 1-0 lead. Celtic v St Mirren, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 03 August 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace. IMAGO / Shutterstock (The Celtic Star)

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The side they face on Sunday, Aberdeen, caused problems in last season’s Scottish Cup final by sitting deep, disrupting Celtic’s rhythm, and only threatening late on. Jimmy Thelin’s men went on to win on penalties, and the Dons boss outfoxed Rodgers with a surprise starting line-up. If Aberdeen played that Hampden formation at any other point last season, it passed many by.

The question now is whether Thelin dares to take that same approach again.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin lifts the trophy during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Final match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Hampden Park on May 24, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Swede is already a hero in the Granite City, but had Aberdeen lost that final 1-0 – as it looked likely until Kasper’s error gifted them an equaliser – the mood could have been very different. He might even have faced criticism similar to what Jim Goodwin endured in December 2022, when Aberdeen sat deep at Pittodrie, held out for 87 minutes, and then lost to a Callum McGregor strike. That day, the home crowd were furious with the negative tactics, and it proved the beginning of the end for Goodwin, whose reign unravelled in the weeks that followed.

It’s one thing to be cautious at Celtic Park or Hampden. It’s another to do it at Pittodrie

It’s one thing to be cautious at Celtic Park or Hampden. It’s another to do it at Pittodrie. If it works, Thelin will again be hailed as a master tactician. If it fails, expect discontent from the stands – particularly when Celtic’s visit is the perfect chance for the home fans to remind the champions our treble was ended at Aberdeen’s hands.

Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

From a Celtic perspective, Rodgers also has decisions to make. The 1-0 win over St Mirren produced solid underlying stats, but the performance left questions. Yang flitted in and out of the game on the right wing, and his head may already have been turned by transfer interest, but it’s difficult to tell as he’s a somewhat inconsistent performer.

Adam Idah worked hard but struggled up front as a starter, indeed he seems to perform better as an impact substitute. Daizen Maeda brings relentless energy but little creativity – yet has to play on the left due to a long-term injury to the first-choice winger and the lack of any replacement.

Adam Idah celebrates. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

That knock-on effect means Idah stays central, and Shin Yamada remains unused – perhaps to avoid sending a signal to the board that no new striker is needed. On the right, Yang starts because Nicolas Kühn was sold without a replacement being signed.

Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. James Forrest. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

It’s a mess in attacking areas

It’s currently a mess in attacking areas. James Forrest, at 34 and with only one goal last season, might actually be Celtic’s best wing option at the moment – and even then, he’s unlikely to last more than an hour. Still, his experience and impactful cameo against St Mirren, could tempt Rodgers to start him, a telling indictment of Yang – and Marco Tilio, who has played just 29 minutes of football in the past two years.

Benjamin Nygren of Celtic Ajax v Celtic, Como Cup Pre Season Football, Football, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como, Italy – 24 Jul 2025Como Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia Italy. Photo Shutterstock IMAGO

One potential shake-up could see Arne Engels brought into midfield, Benjamin Nygren pushed wide right, Maeda moved to centre-forward, and Forrest starting on the left. Idah and Yang could then be used as impact subs, where both tend to perform better. Engels’ running power and physicality would complement Hatate and McGregor in midfield and could surprise Aberdeen’s defensive set-up.

Arne Engels of Celtic Sporting Lisbon v Celtic, Pre Season Friendly, Football, Estadio Algarve, Portugal – 16 Jul 2025 Estadio Algarve Portugal Photo Carlos Rodrigues Shutterstock

Whether Rodgers takes that gamble is another matter.

A trip to Pittodrie is always tough, but Celtic’s recent record there is outstanding. According to the stats Celtic are unbeaten in their last 17 league visits, winning 14 and drawing three, since losing 2-1 in February 2016 under Ronny Deila. In regulation time Aberdeen are winless in their last 31 meetings with Celtic in all competitions drawing seven and losing 24 since a 1-0 win at Celtic Park in 2018. They did of course however, win that Scottish Cup final shootout back in May.

Celtic have won their opening away game in each of the past three Premiership seasons, including a 3-1 win at Pittodrie last term. Rodgers has won four of five such matches in his two spells, losing only to Kilmarnock. Aberdeen, meanwhile, risk losing their first two league games for the first time since 2003-04 after their opening day 2-0 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle.

Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Other than that cup final, Aberdeen have lost five of their last six competitive games, while Celtic are unbeaten in their last seven league matches.

Anyone of a Celtic persuasion who watched the Dons’ opener at Tynecastle however will be encouraged. Aberdeen were actually quite decent in possession but there must remain a nagging doubt, despite their cup win, surrounding Thelin’s Aberdeen identity, because 16 months into his tenure it’s difficult still to determine what that is.

The most frustrating thing about this encounter is many Celtic fans would have expected a far stronger team to take the field than did so at Hampden. Thanks to Celtic’s poor recruitment this summer, frustratingly, we are probably weaker.

Graeme Shinnie of Aberdeen clashes with Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic during the Scottish Cup Final match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Hampden Park on May 24, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Still, given Celtic’s form and history in the fixture, the smart money is on Rodgers’ men to claim all three points, so Celtic to win 2-1 seems a decent shout in what could be a very tight encounter.

Niall J