Hearts v Celtic – Tomas Cvancara set to start at Tynecastle

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The Celtic Star

·24 January 2026

Hearts v Celtic – Tomas Cvancara set to start at Tynecastle

Tomas Cvancara has got to start at Tynecastle tomorrow afternoon as Celtic look to take three points off Hearts after two costly and painful defeats earlier in the season…

We got a timely boost in midweek with the news that we had clinched the loan signing of Czech international Tomas Cvancara from Borussia Mönchengladbach, and all being well the towering centre forward could make his debut in the vital top of the table clash at Tynecastle tomorrow afternoon.

The Celtic support at Tynecastle. Hearts v Celtic, 26 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

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Most will likely foresee a spot on the bench for the man who spent the last few months on loan at Turkish Superlig side Antalyaspor but for me, if he’s fit and raring to go, which he should be, then he should be thrown in from the start, such is our need for a fresh option in attack.

According to Martin O’Neill, Tomas isn’t an out and out target man, more of an off the cuff striker, who can also play wide right, and despite standing at 6ft 3in, he isn’t exactly a player known for his heading ability with only 10 of his career goals coming from headers.

But he’s a superb talent, with his goal record speaking for itself, and he’s better than what we’ve currently got up front, so he has to start for me.

He’s also an unknown quantity to our domestic opponents, so that is something that can only be of benefit to ourselves, the element of the unknown and all that. We’ve become somewhat stale in the past few months up front, or last year to be honest, so a bit of freshness in a vital area of the pitch could work wonders.

The player himself will also be itching to prove a point having had a disappointing time in Germany, and will be fired up, so throwing him into immediate action will do us no harm at all.

Scotty Sinclair made an immediate impact on his Celtic debut at the very same venue, just hours after signing. Tomas could do the same giving the chance.

Martin O’Neill salutes the travelling Celtic support after the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Bologna FC 1909 and Celtic FC at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on January 22, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Three points are essential and with Martin O’Neill in charge this time rather than a distracted Brendan Rodgers at the end of his tether, or even worse a rookie footballing numpty in the dugout. It’s all or nothing and the Celtic players in the dressing room have discussed this and are determined to win this match and mount a title charge on the back of it.

Tomas Cvancara could start and could well become an instant Celtic hero. Let’s do it Celtic.

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