After a terrible start, January is turning out rather nicely for Celtic

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The Celtic Star

·13 Januari 2025

After a terrible start, January is turning out rather nicely for Celtic

January 2025 is an incredibly busy month for Celtic with Brendan Rodgers’ side already having played four matches with five more to follow across three competitions…

Brendan Rodgers. Ross County v Celtic in Dingwall. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Things got off to a terrible start on 2nd January for the Hoops with the first domestic defeat of the season against theRangers at Ibrox to give Philippe Clement his first ever taste of victory in a Glasgow Derby. Celtic could have no complaints about losing the match 3-0 while across the city that win rekindled their hopes of mounting a title challenge.

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Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic reacts during the SPL Premier League match between Rangers FC and Celtic FC at Ibrox Stadium on January 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

It lasted three days as Clement’s charges threw away a 2-0 lead at Easter Road against Hibs to end up drawing 3-3 while later on Sunday afternoon Brendan Bhoys got back to normal service with a comfortable 3-0 win over St Mirren. That meant that Celtic’s lead increased to 13 points and there’s also a massive goal difference advantage which is effectively worth another point.

Celtic still had four Scottish Premiership matches to play in January and on top of that there’s a Scottish Cup match against Kilmarnock and two crucial UEFA Champions League matches with Swiss Champions Young Boys and Aston Villa from the Premier League. And amid all that there’s the January transfer window to contend with and there almost certainly with be players both coming and going from the Celtic squad.

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Starting with the Champions League, Celtic know that a win over Young Boys on 22 January at Celtic Park will be enough to guarantee a place in the play-off round, which was the declared objective in European football for Celtic this season. Young Boys have endured a dreadfully bruising campaign and have already been eliminated after a run of defeats that have left them as one of a number of pointless clubs in the group stages of the Champions League’s new format.

Getting the job done against Young Boys would allow Celtic to travel to Villa Park to bring January to a close with a Battle of Britain against a club that like Celtic has previously won this competition, when it was called the European Cup. With around £1.7m available to the winner the two former Champions of European will battle it out for pride and cash, like a top online casino win that will add to the huge amounts both clubs will earn from this money spinning elite event. Online casinos are very popular amongst football fans for a little light, but responsible, entertainment whilst watching the football on TV and, if you play sensibly, there can often be big rewards.

Callum McGregor with the Premier Sports Cup after Celtic’s victory over theRangers on 15 December 2024 at Hampden Park. Photo Kenny Ramsay

With the League Cup already won in December and that impressive lead in the Scottish Premiership, Brendan Rodgers and his players will eye the retention of the Scottish Cup as key objective as they target yet another treble this season. Kilmarnock knocked Celtic out of the League Cup last season but that was at Rugby Park. Home advantage on Saturday 18 January should be decisive for the Hoops.

The league points still on offer to Celtic this month would take Celtic tantalisingly close to an early title triumph especially as both of this season’s challengers – Aberdeen and theRangers have failed to maintain any real consistency.

Nicolas Kuhn celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s third goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Mirren at Celtic Park on January 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic beat Dundee United 2-0 at Celtic Park last Wednesday night (8th January) before making the 180 mile trip to Dingwall to play Ross County in the Highlands on Saturday lunchtime (11th January) where in freezing conditions the Champions and league leaders won 4-1.

Tomorrow night it’s a trip to Dens Park in the City of Discovery (Tuesday 14th January) and this time the opponents are Dundee, who also visit Celtic Park on Burns Night (25th January). If Celtic get through those two matches then the title celebrations will be eagerly anticipated with the game against theRangers at Celtic Park on 15th March a potential party day in the east end of Glasgow.

So January is a crucial month for the Hoops, with so many matches the Celtic squad will have to be utilised to the full and some risks taken by resting key players while still looking for the wins.

As always the Celtic support with be there – they’re always there – to give the Bhoys nothing less than 100% backing. See you at Den’s Park!