Martin O'Neill expecting a tough test on Flag Night at Paradise

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Celtic F.C.

·31 July 2026

Martin O'Neill expecting a tough test on Flag Night at Paradise

The celebrations from last season’s league triumph have long since passed, the summer’s pre-season preparation is complete, and the Hoops are ready to embark on another campaign and another defence of the title.

There is, of course, the unfurling of the league flag still to come, and on Monday evening at Paradise, the green flag will fly high ahead of kick-off, as Martin O’Neill’s men begin their hunt for a sixth consecutive Premiership crown.

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Steven Pressley’s Dundee side are the visitors to Celtic Park for Monday’s league opener (August 3, KO 7.30pm) and despite finishing eighth in the table last season, the Dens Park side provided some tough tests for the Bhoys over the course of the campaign and, after signing a one-year extension to his contract with Dundee earlier in the week, Pressley will be hoping that his side can spoil the Flag Night celebrations in the East End of Glasgow.

For Hoops boss Martin O’Neill, who spoke to the media at Lennoxtown this afternoon, he says that he expects a difficult match on Monday as he looked ahead to another season in the dugout.

“I’m just about looking forward to it (the season ahead).” He said. “The same buzz, the same excitement, the same fears, the same everything.

“Dundee caused us all sorts of problems last year. Certainly in the time that I’ve been here, they’ve been really difficult games.

‘The game up there towards the end of the season was difficult. We made a number of great chances and it was a game we had to win.’

“And we were 30 seconds away from them knocking us out the Scottish Cup. They played brilliantly and of course we won that game in extra time.

“They were tough games and I expect the same again.”

Watch Martin O'Neill's full press conference below.

MARTIN O'NEILL'S FULL PRESS CONFERENCE

The season ahead
The transfer window
Kasper Høgh & Camilo Duran
Expecting a tough test against Dundee
Squad update

More on the game:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has his eyes on the prize after pre-season regime: Read more
Training Gallery: Celtic v Dundee
Don't miss out on the matchday programme: Read more

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