Celtic on the Brink of an Impeccable Season Start

Celtic’s initial segment of the season has unfolded with remarkable success, arguably exceeding expectations even if manager Brendan Rodgers had orchestrated it himself. Following a challenging beginning to his second tenure exactly a year ago, the mood is now significantly positive. A victory for Celtic against their main competitors in Sunday’s League Cup final would culminate in an impeccable first stage of the current season. Domestically, the team has demonstrated significant superiority. The reigning champions have maintained an unbeaten record against Scottish opponents across 30 matches, a run that commenced in early March. Indeed, they have rarely appeared vulnerable to defeat. In the Premiership, they have conceded only two points. The initial derby match saw Rangers decisively defeated. Furthermore, early cup fixtures were navigated with ease, including a six-goal triumph over their closest league rivals, Aberdeen. In the Champions League, Celtic has re-established its standing. An indicator of their progress is their dissatisfaction with a recent draw against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. This result brings their total to nine points from six matches. Their sole defeat in the competition was against last year’s finalists, Borussia Dortmund. They secured strong victories against Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig, alongside commendable draws with Dinamo, Atalanta, and Club Brugge. This solid performance means that a victory at Celtic Park in January against Young Boys, who have no points, will guarantee their advancement to the knockout stage. Their European objectives have been met, and then some. This brings us to the season’s inaugural trophy, which will be contested on Sunday. Celtic enters the fixture as the favored side, considering their recent performance and their historical outcomes against Rangers. Philippe Clement has not secured a derby victory since he began his tenure in Scotland more than a year ago. Celtic’s last significant defeat in this fixture occurred when Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team eliminated them in the semi-final round of the 2022 Scottish Cup. Brendan Rodgers holds the highest win percentage among contemporary managers in this particular matchup, approximately 80%. Although cup finals are often known for their unpredictability, should Celtic maintain their current victorious trajectory, Rodgers will undoubtedly reflect on this initial period of the season with considerable contentment. Achieving absolute perfection is challenging. However, a triumph at Hampden on Sunday would bring Celtic’s first five months of this campaign remarkably close to that ideal.