Celtic Look to Build on European Glory with a Strong Performance Against Kilmarnock
Celtic will look to continue their momentum when they travel to Rugby Park on Sunday to face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership. After an exhilarating 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League midweek, Brendan Rodgers’ side will aim to keep their unbeaten domestic run intact and extend their lead at the top of the table. Celtic, who also secured a place in the Scottish League Cup final last weekend, have been in scintillating form, but their task at Rugby Park will not be straightforward.
Despite their recent success, Celtic have faced difficulties on their visits to Kilmarnock in recent seasons, having lost two of their last three matches at the venue in all competitions. Kilmarnock, currently in eighth place, have proven to be a tricky opponent and will be looking to cause an upset. The home side has shown resilience in recent games, scoring and conceding in seven of their last eight league matches, and they’ll be determined to make life difficult for Celtic.
Celtic’s goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, speaking ahead of the match, emphasized the importance of staying grounded after the midweek high against Leipzig. “If we are performing at the level that we were against Leipzig, then we have a good opportunity to progress,” said Schmeichel. “But it’s about staying humble. There are no easy games in modern football, and we are in no way expecting an easy game on Sunday.”
Rodgers is likely to make some changes to his starting XI, with Cameron Carter-Vickers, Greg Taylor, and Nicolas Kuhn all set to be rested. The likely lineup includes:
Starting XI:
- GK: Kasper Schmeichel
- RB: Alistair Johnston
- RCB: Austin Trusty
- LCB: Liam Scales
- LB: Alex Valle
- CM: Callum McGregor
- CM: Arne Engels
- CM: Reo Hatate
- LW: Daizen Maeda
- RW: James Forrest
- ST: Kyogo Furuhashi
Substitutes: Sinisalo (GK), Taylor, Palma, Idah, Kuhn, McCowan, Carter-Vickers, Bernardo, Ralston
Rodgers’ squad has been rotating effectively, and with key players like McGregor, Hatate, and Maeda in good form, Celtic will hope to maintain their excellent start to the season while managing the physical demands of multiple competitions. The aim is clear: another three points to keep them at the summit of the Premiership heading into the international break.
GET MORE CONTENT HERE
Leave a Reply