European Exit Complete - Now, Celtic Face a Critical Two-Week Period

Now their European journey is over, Celtic are now staring down a campaign-altering two-week spell.

By 14 March, they could be motoring in the title race with the wind at their backs and into the Scottish Cup last four.

Or, they might find themselves still struggling to defend their title and staring at a silverware-free season.

The initial challenge is Ibrox on Sunday for a huge league encounter, with Celtic trailing Rangers by two points after playing one match fewer, with Hearts six points ahead of the title holders.

This is followed by a midweek trip to Aberdeen, before returning to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final and then welcoming in-form and formidable Motherwell.

A half-dozen of their next seven fixtures are away from Celtic Park. This much-maligned Celtic team is set to be put under severe pressure after a tumultuous first two-thirds of the season.

"There will be a lot of twists and turns," commented a ex-Celtic player. "I wouldn't be surprised if the league goes to the final day. But they must prove themselves over the next five or six games. You have to be relentless, or else they won't take the trophies."

Manager Faces Selection 'Headache'

Despite the 1-0 win over Stuttgart proving moot in Celtic's bid to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, it could yet prove important.

The manager rotated a large number of his first eleven and some of the fringe players put in eye-catching performances to claim the club's maiden win in Germany.

Luke McCowan stroked home the winner after just 28 seconds and was a positive influence, while in the defence, Dane Murray stood out in a gutsy display.

Murray especially made his case to start alongside Liam Scales. One magnificent block stood out and he was confident when dealing with set-pieces.

But the most discussed display was saved for second-choice goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he played his part in a long-awaited shutout in six matches.

The established goalkeeper has faced intense scrutiny after a series of errors. The Finnish stepped in and made several crucial stops, in a display described as "flawless" by a former Celtic midfielder.

A former Celtic goalkeeper believes Sinisalo performed well enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.

"He had some very good saves and looked calm when he had the ball and read the game well," was the assessment. "It's a big decision to make at the weekend. On that performance, I would be giving him the nod. Let him keep his place in the team now."

The Celtic manager agreed that several players have given him "plenty to consider".

"[Sinisalo] was outstanding in the game, really well. He's the talk all round the dressing room," the manager commented. "He's got plenty of talent."

'Critical' Rangers Challenge Awaits

The additional positive of Celtic's win was that they demonstrated they can battle to a victory.

Over the years, Celtic have pitched up and typically sought to control possession from start to finish against every Scottish rival.

But this more fragile side had looked increasingly vulnerable this year, regularly letting in more than one goal per game.

Having not won at Ibrox in their last four visits and considering Rangers have won their last ten home matches, a show of resilience in Germany was timely.

Could Celtic take a somewhat more cautious approach? At this moment, it is all about winning.

"You don't need to have all the possession to win the game," observed an pundit. "You've got to work hard, defend well, get a slice of fortune and have a reliable shot-stopper."

"Celtic have not played well this season, but they are still in contention [in the league]. They retain a chance, with a game in hand. The players will pick up great confidence from tonight - the weekend will be a decisive one."