There are five games left for Celtic to play before they head into the World Cup shutdown for November and most of December.
The Qatar World Cup taking place in winter throws off the domestic calendar greatly. Usually, the bhoys would have a hectic schedule through until the end of December before a winter shutdown.
The final game before the break takes place on November 12th and the next time the bhoys will be in action in a competitive game will be December 17th.
With five games left, here are our five opponents before we hit the break.
Four SPFL matches and the final Champion League tie against Real Madrid:
- Livingston (A)
- Real Madrid (A)
- Dundee Utd (H)
- Motherwell (A)
- Ross County (H)
The Hoops are four points clear at the top of the SPFL table at the moment, and the goal has to be either keeping that intact or creating more distance.
Livingston away has been problematic for Celtic over the years. The way Livingston play and the plastic pitch has thrown up so many poor results for the bhoys. Last time out, they managed to win at the Tony Macaroni. Another win this weekend would be another big statement.
The Real Madrid game is a free hit for the bhoys. In a professional capacity, running out to play Real Madrid at the Bernabeu should be enough for the players to lift their game and test themselves despite already being out of the competition.
Dundee Utd were embarrassed last time out against Celtic, a 9-0 defeat at Tannadice saw the end of Jack Ross and his short spell with the club. They’ll be looking for retribution and to show they’ve turned a corner. They’ll be hoping Celtic have a bit of a Bernabeu Hangover from midweek.
Celtic recently registered a League Cup win against Motherwell in the League Cup and will fancy themselves for another victory at Fir Park.
Ross County at home to round things off might seem like an easy three pointer, but these are the games when you can come undone if you don’t approach it correctly. If Celtic can get 4 wins from 4 in the SPFL it sets them up nicely for their return in December.
During that period, some of the hoops players will be heading off to the World Cup while the rest of the team will head to Australia to participate in the Sydney Cup. Upon their return to Europe, Ange and his men will undergo a mini pre-season camp in Portugal where they’ll take on Rennes.
