In the Scottish Cup semi-final this Saturday against Aberdeen, Celtic hopes to carry on the tradition of particular ties to Hampden Park.
We have defeated Buckie Thistle, St. Mirren, and Livingston in the previous rounds. However, the Dons are aware that winning football’s oldest trophy is the only way they can guarantee themselves a spot in Europe this season, so they should be formidable opponents.
From a Celtic standpoint, the tie’s ticket sales have guaranteed a sizable crowd to support the Bhoys at the national stadium.
Season ticket holders were able to purchase five individual stages, and should we defeat Aberdeen, the players will need our whole backing to secure a spot in the final, which takes place on May 25th against either Heart of Midlothian or Rangers.
The tie will be televised by both BBC Scotland and Viaplay, with kickoff scheduled for 12.30 pm.The only Celtic player reported to be out is Daizen Maeda; however, further information will be revealed during Brendan Rodgers’ pregame news conference.
Given that this article was prepared prior to the Irishman’s upcoming squad fitness update, here are three selection conundrums that 67 Hail Hail has examined with relation to who might start for him at Hampden.
Celtic central defensive question ahead of Aberdeen clash
Cameron Carter-Vickers will undoubtedly start for Celtic in central defense against Aberdeen if he is healthy, but who will play alongside the US international?
Summertime acquisitionIn his 12th game of the season, Maik Nawrocki played against St. Mirren last weekend. He finished 63 of his 68 passes (93% accurate), won five duels, completed six defensive plays, and made one successful dribble [Fotmob].
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The Poland Under-21 international has made a case for himself to stay in the backline, but if the Irishman recovers from a knock, Rodgers might go back to the reliable Liam Scales.
Last weekend, he provided an update on his situation. At first, he mentioned Maeda, saying, “I don’t expect him to feature too much.” For him now, it’s such a small window. But Liam Scales isn’t like that. I hope he turns out okay.
Stephen Welsh, a Lennoxtown product, is also in the wings, giving Saturday lunchtime in Glasgow’s an interesting choice as to who will triumph.
The health of Callum McGregor and Celtic’s expanding backup plan
Rodgers controlled his playing time against Rangers and St. Mirren, bringing the team captain off the bench to have an impact, in light of Callum McGregor’s recent injury recovery.
Toki Iwata, a Japanese midfielder, has been in the holding role for a while now and has been praised for his straightforward but effective approach in the engine room.
Nevertheless, considering his leadership abilities and tendency to perform well under pressure, McGregor is the catalyst that turns Celtic’s defense into attack. The idea of him not being the main player from the start against Aberdeen as we try to get to a domestic final doesn’t sit well.
Considering the bigger picture, we also need to take into account the Scottish Premiership title fight, and we need him to be fully committed for five essential post-split games.
Paulo Bernardo can also provide a different kind of threat from the middle of the park, but Rodgers’ most challenging choice will be whether to start McGregor right away.
Two of Celtic’s top strikers might be the difference.
To put it simply, Yogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah are both playing well going into the Scottish Cup semi-final, and there’s a strong case to be made for either player to start at Hampden.
Furuhashi has recorded 16 goals and four assists in 43 games this season, including three goals in his previous five, according to Transfermarkt. On the other hand, considering that he has scored seven goals in twelve games and provided two assists, the impact of Ireland international Idah on Celtic’s campaign is now undeniable.
In green and white, they both expressed how hungry they were for the momentous occasion. Whoever is tasked with attacking the Aberdeen defense will understand that the onus is on them to support Celtic into the competition’s semifinals.
In any case, Celtic supporters will be anticipating an interesting match on Saturday, where we should be able to get closer to winning domestic championships. Hurry up, hoops!
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RODGERSKYOGO BRENDAN
