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The international break brings with it the boredom of missing club football and watching all your favourite players for two whole weeks.
Yes, for those players that get called up it’s great recognition for them and when they play for their countries the Celtic fans can tune in and see how they do, but nothing compares to the excitement of watching your club team week in, week out and also in midweek.
Which is what the Celtic fans have to look forward to from next weekend. From Sunday, Brendan Rodgers‘ men embark on a series of three fixtures that could either make or break their season.
Hearts vs Celtic – preview
An away trip to Tynecastle looms next Sunday where Celtic have traditionally always found this to be a difficult venue to visit.
Hearts are in decent form at the moment having lost just one in their last five matches. The managerial situation at the Edinburgh club has been sorted and, after a shaky start to the season, they find themselves on a decent run and are now starting to climb the table.
Although Celtic are in red-hot form themselves, not one fan will disagree when I say that the Tynecastle club always seem to find an extra gear when they come up against the Hoops.
Celtic vs Atletico Madrid – Champions League
Make no mistake, this is a must-win game. If Celtic have any designs on qualifying from the group, then they must look to beat the Spanish side at Parkhead.
Anything less than a win will leave the Hoops firmly rooted to the bottom of Group E and make qualification even into the Europa League virtually impossible.
Celtic’s 2023/24 European campaign could effectively be over before Halloween and that is something no supporter wants.
Hibernian vs Celtic – preview
Again, another venue that gives Celtic a difficult time and one that, on the last visit, the Hoops lost 4-2 towards the end of last season.
Granted, the league was sewn up and Ange Postecoglou made some changes to the side, but Easter Road is a challenging venue to get a result.
Hibs are unbeaten in their last six fixtures since appointing their new manager and their incredible fightback against Hearts in the Edinburgh Derby is a testament to the battling qualities that have been instilled in the Leith team.
With Rangers appointing a new manager and at home for their next two SPFL matches against both Edinburgh sides, it is imperative that Brendan Rodgers ensures maximum points are taken from both domestic fixtures as Rangers have the potential to cut the lead at the top to just one point.
On the flip side, if Celtic do win all three matches then they go into a busy winter schedule knowing that they have went to five difficult away venues in Pittodrie, Almondale, Fir Park, Easter Road and Tynecastle and taken maximum points.
The confidence they will get from that and (hopefully) beating Atletico Madrid could carry them on for the remainder of the season and give them fresh belief that they can progress in Europe.
That could set the season up for some exciting football. Especially with the next Glasgow Derby looming.
In other news, ‘They might’: Scott McDonald believes Celtic could be set to make big transfer move soon