THE final Old Firm derby of the season. (almost) feels like a distant memory now as focus turns elsewhere for both clubs.Celtic have one strong hand on the Premiership trophy thanks to the draw 1-1 at Parkhead and will be looking to wrap up the title ASAP.
Rangers have a huge Europa League semi-final on Thursday against RB Leipzig.
Keep up date with all the latest news right here with our live blog.
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Leipzig shocker
Just days before their clash with Rangers, RB Leipzig have crashed to defeat against a ten-man Borussia Monchengladbach side.
Domenico Tedesco’s team , who hold a 1-0 first-leg lead over the Gers in their Europa League semi-final, made five changes from last week’s match at the Red Bull Arena.
RB Leipzig went down 3-1 to Borussia MonchengladbachCredit: EPA
Trailing 2-1 at half-time, Leipzig were then handed a man advantage when Nico Elvedi upended Christian Nkunku.
But Jonas Hofmann scored his second of the night not long after to extend Monchengladbach’s lead, which proved enough for the three points.
Sounds familiar
Just in case you were wondering…
Mark Lawwell is indeed a relation to former Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.
He is the recently-departed chief’s SON.
“Great trust”
Ange Postecoglou on Celtic’s new head of scouting and recruitment, Mark Lawwell:
“I was very keen for Mark to join the Club and clearly I am delighted that he has accepted this important role and that we have been able to bring him to Celtic.
“Mark is someone who I worked closely with throughout my four years at Marinos, through which time we developed great trust and an excellent working relationship. He knows the way I like to work, the way my teams play and the particular player profile which this requires.”
He continued: “I know he will be a great addition to our team, leading our first-team scouting and recruitment function and delivering on our key objective of identifying and bringing exciting, talented players to the Club.
“We have a great team of people at the Club and since joining Celtic I have been hugely impressed by the staff around me who have all worked so hard to deliver success.
“I have said before that I didn’t want to make changes just for the sake of it, but we always aim to build and develop everything we do and in bringing Mark in I know we have made an appointment which will be hugely beneficial for us moving forward.”
Celts announce new recruitment chief
One of Ange Postecoglou’s former aides has been appointed as the club’s new head of scouting and recruitment.
Mark Lawwell worked with the Aussie at Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan and is expected to play a key role in the upcoming transfer window.
A club statement read: “Celtic Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Lawwell as Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment.
“Mark joins Celtic from his position as Head of CFG Scouting and Recruitment, within City Football Group’s global structure, having spent the last 10 years there.
“Mark, who will join the Club in readiness for the summer transfer window, previously worked closely with Celtic Manager Ange Postecoglou on scouting and recruitment throughout Ange’s time as Manager of Yokohama F Marinos.”
Jota’s not a done deal
Jota has his eyes on a move ELSEWHERE from Celtic Park, in the mind of one Hoops hero.
Frank McAvennie would love to see the Portuguese winger return from Benfica on a permanent basis but says it’s worrying that an agreement has already been announced.
Jota has been a hit at Celtic this season on loan from BenficaCredit: Kenny Ramsay
When asked if Jota would be a Celtic player next season, McAvennie told Football Insider: “I don’t think so.
“I would love it to happen. Every time I see him he has been tremendous.
“He can be a bit hot and cold sometimes but he has been different class since he came back from injury.
“He’s a talented boy and I hope he likes what is happening at Celtic. It’s a great environment.
“He’s one hell of a player but I think if he was going to sign then he would have by now.
“Maybe I’m wrong, I hope I am wrong but maybe he has his eyes on a move somewhere else this summer.”
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Gers can pull off “greatest achievement for 20 years”
Reaching the Europa League final would be the greatest achievement in Scottish football for two decades, says former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell.
Gers trail 1-0 to RB Leipzig going into Thursday’s return leg at Ibrox but Bell reckons the Light Blues have what it takes to progress to the final in Seville – where Celtic played Porto in the Uefa Cup Final 21 years ago.
He told Go Radio: “These moments don’t happen very often. If Rangers can get to a European final, it would be one of the greatest achievements in Scottish football for 20 years.
“It’s massive on Thursday night and I genuinely think they’ll do it.”
“Honoured and grateful”
Celtic ace Kyogo Furuhashi has spoken of how “honoured” he was to pick up two awards at the club’s player of the year do last night.
The striker won goal of the season and top goalscorer at the event.
He tweeted: “I am very honoured and grateful to receive the #CelticFC Top Goalscorer and Goal of the Season awards in my first year at the club.
“Thanks to everyone who voted for me. None of this would be possible without the effort of the whole team. We will continue to work hard 🍀🙏”
Euro vision
Scotland’s champions WILL go straight into the group stages of the Champions League next season.
It comes as Uefa announced that Russian clubs will not compete in continental competition for 2022-23.
That clears the path for the Premiership victors to go straight into the tournament proper, regardless of whether Villareal were to lift the trophy this year (a win for the Spanish side could in theory have led to Scotland’s champions missing out).
As it stands then, Celtic will be back in Europe’s top club competition next season for the first time since the 2017-18 edition.
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EURO TRIP
Celtic and Rangers face a fixture pile-up in Europe next season due to the World Cup in Qatar.
November’s tournament means the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League group stages will end early that month.
The Hoops will book their place in the Champions League when they win the Premiership title.
While Rangers will start off in the second qualifying round unless they win the Europa League, in which case they’ll go straight into the group stage.
FINAL THREE
Rangers and Celtic both have three league games to play before the Premiership season comes an end.
Here are the remaining fixtures in full:
Rangers: Dundee United, Ross County, Hearts.
Celtic: Hears, Dundee United, Motherwell.
Backwards Billy
Tony Cascarino believes Billy Gilmour has gone BACKWARDS in his spell at Norwich.
The Chelsea kid hasn’t featured much in the league’s bottom side but remains a key part of Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad.
He told talkSPORT: “The lad Gilmour that came to Norwich, didn’t do particularly well at the club, and the fans turned on him at the start of the season.”He’s a terrific young footballer but, somehow, he’s not grown.
“We talk all the time about young lads going elsewhere and improving – the lad Williams as well from Man United – but they’ve gone backwards this year.
“Two players have gone there from big clubs have gone backwards at Norwich.”
In Fashion
Fashion Sakala added to his Rangers goal tally at Parkhead yesterday.
Can he be the man Van Bronckhorst trusts in midweek?
Here’s his numbers in the league this term.
EYES ON GERMANY
Rangers will be keeping a keen eye on the Bundesliga tonight with Europa League rivals RB Leipzig in action.
They face a trip to Borussia Monchengladbach in a key fixture for their automatic Champions League hopes.
Freiburg occupy 4th spot and the final spot at Europe’s top table through the league placings with Leverkusen one place ahead having played a game less.
FC Cologne and Union Berlin are also firmly in the hunt going into the last couple of games.
But tonight is a massive game for Leipzig – just days ahead of a crucial semi-final showdown at Ibrox.
MORE FROM ANGE
“It’s very humbling, and I’m proud.
“It’s not just representative of my work but all the staff.
“It’s been a big challenge for us and I think people have recognised that. It’s great when it is voted by your peers because they understand what you’re going through.
“It’s not what drives or motivates me [proving people wrong]. I’m not too harsh on people that said the jury was out on me. I understand that.
“There was no great recognition of what I have done, and when you come from the other side of the world that’s always understandable.
“People have recognised the challenge I had, especially in a year that many thought would be a transition season.
“Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we tick off the big one.”
FIRST CLASS
Ange Postecoglou has heaped praise on John Kennedy and his Celtic coaching staff
The Aussie boss arrived at Parkhead last summer on his own – in a decision he revealed was made by himself.
He last night landed the PFA Manager of the Year award with the Hoops on the verge of landing the Premiership title alongside their Premier Sports Cup success.
He told Sky Sports: “It was my call not to bring anyone in – and just to assess the staff I had.
“The key to that was then getting them to believe in me. They’ve been outstanding.
“Led by John Kennedy who has been at the club a long time. He understands what success looks like but all the staff have been great.
“For us to be in the position we are has taken a massive collective effort.”
Firm legends
Ally McCoist shared a picture with Celtic hero Danny McGrain before yesterday’s Old Firm clash.
The pair posed outside Celtic Park prior to the 1-1 draw.
Fans from both sides took to social media to laud the ‘legendary’ pair.
McGrain was at Celtic for 17 years and is widely regarded as one of the best right backs in British football history.
MORE FROM BOSNICH
“I have been in dressing rooms before where because of nerves people might be physically sick.
“Everyone takes it different. Dwight Yorke was one of the most laid-back people before games. I was told just to embrace it.
“It’s down to the manager to create, as best as he can, the environment, then it’s up to the players.
“The biggest thing for Ange is to keep a lid on things.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity, yes. You have to be prepared for every scenario.”
HE IS THE BOS
Mark Bosnich has hailed Ange Postecoglou as a winner with a capital W.
The Celtic boss is on the verge of securing his first Premiership title after Sunday’s draw with Rangers.
The gap remains at six points with three games to go following the 1-1 draw at Parkhead.
He told AK Media: “It would be a superb achievement. He’s illuminating a pathway for young Australian coaches.
“I got to know Ange really well sitting next to him for nearly four years when we worked at Fox Sports together.
“Knowing the style of football he plays, his approach to football, it will be a fantastic achievement.
“When he first came there and there were so many doubters, I think that inspired him more. It’s understandable, especially people from Europe.
“He’ll definitely be on the front foot; he’s a winner with a capital W.
“The thing that really endeared him to Australian football fans was the style of football he played. The style of football he plays allows fans to be very, very proud of their team. That’s wherever he has gone.”
BORNA AGAIN
Borna Barisic has labelled Rangers’ game with RB Leipzig as their ‘biggest game of the season’.
The Light Blues trail the Bundesliga outfit 1-0 going into the Europa League semi-final second leg at Ibrox on Thursday night.
He said: “Listen, this is now our biggest game of the season on Thursday.
“We know what we need to do, we know how they play. We know how they played in Germany will be different at Ibrox.
“We cannot wait for that game to show energy, to show desire, to try to qualify for the final.
“We know the fans will help our performance for sure. They’ll be behind us like always.
“It’s on us now to perform on Thursday. I expect a very, very good atmosphere and we’ll see what happens. We’ll give everything to win the game.”
ALL HART
Joe Hart insists Celtic still have work to do in their bid to win the Premiership.
He said: “Look you’re never going to get me to sit here and say that but I think we’ve worked very hard to be in this position.
“We’ve come through a lot and we’re pleased with where we are and we’ve got a job to do. And that continues.
“This league is not set up for us to win it. There is opposition out there, there are other teams trying to do it.
“Rangers mathematically are still in this fight. They’re never going to lie down.
“This fixture wouldn’t allow them to lie down and that’s why it’s such a great fixture to be involved in.”
JOB NOT DONE
Jota insists Celtic’s bid to win the Premiership title is NOT done and they will be ready to go into battle with Hearts next week.
He told Celtic TV: The job’s not done. We keep on going. We rest and then next week we go again.
“It’s game after game. We know how important the next one is, so we keep on, we don’t give up, we get together the troops and we go into battle next week.”
He continued: “It’s always a tough game against Rangers so we tried our best. We wanted to win but, unfortunately, we didn’t.
“Our style of game always aims for goals and pressing and keeping after them, but unfortunately we didn’t score again after the first goal.
“We kept on trying and then we conceded a goal. But the main thing to think about all of this is that we didn’t give up.”
Big bad John
John Lundstram’s reputation on the park continues to grow.
Off it, Rangers fans’ will soar after his latest moment.
Gers supporters loved a clip circulating social media showing Lundstram staring down jeering Celtic supporters.
The incident came after the game when the 28-year-old was leaving Parkhead for the coach home.
Despite a barrage of boos and insults, Lundstram smiled, stared back and kept on walking.
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