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Congratulations to Celtic. Eight titles on the bounce and the 50th in their history. They go for the treble treble next week.
Neil Lennon speaks!
It’s wonderful. Great moment for the players and the supporters, they are the most important people. They gave me the heebie, jeebies there for a little bit today but we were magnificent in the second half.
I’ve got to pay Brendan [Rodgers] a huge amount of credit, because of the foundations that he laid. For me to be standing here as interim manager, or any kind of manager on a day that we win the title, is very special for me and my family.
We felt calm, especially with the emotional week with Billy’s funeral. There’s a lot of negativity around us, and fake news. It’s been the toughest piece of management, there was a lot of discontent around the club and we’ve picked ourselves up.
Interestingly, no sign of a trophy at Pittodrie. I guess that will appear at Celtic’s next home game? Although that isn’t for another two weeks. MAYBE, they will be given it at Ibrox next Sunday? Now, that would be funny.
Match report, right here.
“One Neil Lennon, there’s only one Neil Lennon,” sing the travelling fans. If he goes and wins the Scottish Cup final, it will be difficult not to give him the job. Lennon runs over the fans and does his airplane celebration. Sure.
Celtic go for the treble next week in the Scottish Cup final against Hearts. One concern might be that Lustig limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury just before the final whistle. Will be interesting to see if he is fit for the final.
Celtic players celebrate in front of their home fans, with custom-made t-shirts highlighting that it is their eighth on the spin. Scott Brown is, unsurprisingly, full of it. So he should be.
Full-time: Aberdeen 0-3 Celtic, Celtic are champions!
Celtic have won their 50th Scottish title, their eighth on the bounce. It is a quite remarkable achievement.
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90+2 min: It would not be a Celtic victory without a customary yellow card for Scott Brown, who dives in and catches Ross with a bad tackle.
90 min: Two minutes added on here.
GOAL! Aberdeen 0-3 Celtic (Edouard 89)
Celtic are the champions of Scotland once more, crowing their achievement with a fine, counter-attacking goal. Rogic breaks forward, Celtic have three on two, Rogic squares it to Edouard, who steps inside, fires a shot through Devlin’s legs and inside Lewis’s near post. Game, set, title.
86 min: Ball sends a wonderful ball across the six-yard box, in between defender and goalkeeper, but no Aberdeen striker is there to tap in at the far post. Ajer did well not to turn the ball into his own net.
84 min: Corner to Aberdeen. Wilson’s low delivery skirts to the near post where Devlin meets it, bringing a brilliant save out of Bain, who was released by Aberdeen as a youth.
82 min: Halford does indeed need to go off, 10 minutes after coming on. He’s replaced by young Ethan Ross.
79 min: Stewart fires over a shot from the top of the D – he would have expected to have done better on his stronger left foot.
Celtic fan Tony Hill emails: “Need a right back and cover/new option in central defence, a new striker might be good too, though we’ve not seen much of Bayo yet. Losing any of McGregor, Forrest or Edouard would be worrying. Looking forward to seeing Shved coming in.
“Filth from Logan and Cosgrove today, carrying on the spirit from the cup game.”
Shved is currently on loan at Karpaty Lviv, after signing for Celtic on deadline day in January. He scored a hat-trick in February.
Maryan Shved's hat-trick for Karpaty Lviv today, scored in a 4-0 league win over Vorskla Poltava. pic.twitter.com/Oe0DJr9rMI
— The Grand Auld Podcast (@FritzAGrandAuld) February 24, 2019
77 min: Just over from Edouard! Forrest skips outside Halford on the left wing, cuts back to the French striker, who works some space with a neat turn and fires a yard over the bar from the penalty spot.
75 min: Celtic have also made a change: Oli Burke on for Weah.
74 min: Halford slips on the wet turf, collapses in a heap, and looks like he’ll have to be replaced two minutes after coming on. Luckily, he’s OK to continue.
72 min: Greg Halford comes on to make his second appearance for the Dons, replacing Logan at right back. Logan started so well, but has becoming increasingly ragged in this second half. Striker Cosgrove is the next to depart, for Dean Campbell, who is 18 but looks nothing more than 12.
70 min: Hayes is still down, grimacing, as he receives some attention from the physios. Looks like an ankle problem. Celtic have no more natural options at left back, with Tierney already off and Izaguirre not involved today.
68 min: Cosgrave leaves a nasty, late tackle in on Hayes. He gets a yellow card and warm round of applause from the Aberdeen fans.
65 min: Celtic fans, where would you like to see the club strengthen in the summer? And who would be your biggest loss (should you sell)?
Answers to the usual place: michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet @michaelbutler18.
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63 min: Celtic fans in full voice now, as the game hits a bit of a lull.
Come on over to my place, Hey you, We’re having a party, We’ll be swinging, dancing and singing, Oh baby come on over tonight
61 min: The game is opening up. First Aberdeen break down the left and a poor touch from Wilson gifts possession back to Celtic. Then Weah breaks the offside track and only a good covering tackle from Lowe stops him going clean through on goal.
58 min: Every Hayes touch is booed by the home fans, as the Celtic fans rub it in, serenading their substitute, chanting his name.
56 min: Lennon wastes no time in hooking Tierney off. The left-back looked uncomfortable with his hernia and takes a full-minute to walk to the Celtic dugout, clapping the Celtic fans every inch of the way. To highlight the gulf in resources of the two clubs, Celtic bring on former Aberdeen star Jonny Hayes, who comes on to a chorus of boos. Hayes was outstanding for the five years he spent at Aberdeen from 2012-17.
GOAL! Aberdeen 0-2 Celtic (Simunovic 53)
Simple as you like: from the corner, Simunovic rises above McKenna on the penalty spot and heads right into the corner to double Celtic’s lead. There was nobody on the posts, otherwise that surely would have been cleared. Celtic only need one point today, and 2-0 the title is a near-certainty now.
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52 min: Great save from Lewis! The Englishman keeps Edouard out, diving at the Frenchman’s feet after a wonderful first touch to kill Forrest’s cross stone dead. Corner to Celtic.
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50 min: Meanwhile, Spurs are down to nine-men at Bournemouth, young Foyth was on the pitch there for all of three minutes. Join Scott Murray, if that’s your thing.
48 min: It’s just not happening for Wilson. This is a harder chance, the cross arrives from the left at thigh height, but the forward is still free to take a swipe at it, eight yards out. Mistimes the shot horribly and the ball loops out for a goal kick. Wilson could easily have had a hat-trick today.
Peeeeeeeep! We’re underway at Pittodrie again.
I’ve just been enjoying this goal. Why not.
Half-time reading:
Half-time: Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic
Celtic are 45 minutes away from securing their eighth successive title.
45 min: No added time on here.
43 min: An awful late challenge by Logan on Forrest sees the right back receive a deserved yellow card.
42 min: Real sucker punch that for Aberdeen, who have probably been the better side here in the first half.
GOAL! Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic (Lustig 40)
Celtic are ruthless here, showing Wilson how it is done. McGregor gets his head up and spots a brilliant late run from deep by Lustig. After a sunny start in Aberdeen the heavens have opened and McGregor’s cross skirts off the wet surface. Lustig stoops and his diving header creeps inside the near post, giving Lewis no chance. Fantastic finish with a ball as greasy as the cafe down the road.
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38 min: To be fair to Wilson, he’s not lacking in confidence despite his two misses. Now he tries his luck from 35 yards, well wide, much to the derision of the home crowd.
35 min: Some wonderful hold-up play from Edouard brings Forrest into play from the right wing, and the Scottish international flashes a shot just wide.
James Wilson hits the woodwork again. This is a miss-of-the-season contender
32 min: Dearie me. James Wilson. U OK pal? McKenna carries the ball a full 60 yards down the left wing – do not ask me what the centre back is doing there – but he delivers a wonderful eye-of-the-needle cross to the back post. Cosgrave gets a good, first-time connection on the shot, well saved by Bain, and the rebound falls to Wilson, on the penalty spot, on his stronger foot with the goal gaping and Bain helpless on the turf, and the forward can only sidefoot it onto the outside of the left-hand post. Wow.
29 min: Timothy Weah just isn’t at it today. Brought in for Scott Sinclair, he’s had a poor game thus far and is also on a yellow card. Would not be surprised to see him replaced at half-time.
27 min: Celtic have had 70% possession so far, but Aberdeen are carrying a real threat on the counter. Max Lowe gets forward from left back, nutmegs Forrest beautifully near the byline and sends a dangerous low cross into the box, which is cleared by Tierney at the back post.
25 min: Good pressing from Celtic wins them the ball back in midfield, where Rogic is brought down by Ball. The Aberdeen man has to be careful, he’s already on a yellow card.
23 min: Yellow card for Ajer, who needlessly careers into Wilson on the right wing. The forward was going nowhere.
22 min: Celtic go route one and some awful defending sees Edouard race through on goal! He’s one-on-one with Lewis … but an important nudge from the backtracking Logan and a smart save from the goalkeeper keeps the scores goalless. This is an excellent game of football.
20 min: Logan has started really well at right back for Aberdeen. His first start for three months because of injury and he wins the ball cleanly from Weah, who trips Logan and receives a yellow card. On a side note, here is Logan a couple of months ago, on his stag do.
Stag do or not I’m still a fucking DON 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4S808JmQQB
— Shaleum logan (@Shay2920) March 20, 2019
Aberdeen hit the bar!
18 min: Oooooooh, what a chance for James Wilson. The former Manchester United man hasn’t scored in 2019, and it showed there, as a fantastic cross found him all alone in front of goal, eight yards out. It was a little behind Wilson but he could only crash a volley down into the ground, with the ball bouncing behind off the top of the bar. Golden chance on his stronger foot.
16 min: Stewart has been Aberdeen’s best player by a mile, twice turning inside Scott Brown to find space.
14 min: From the resulting free kick, Ajer goes down in the box, claiming he was having his shirt tugged by Cosgrave. Ajer did make a meal of it, but there was definitely contact as the wayward cross sailed over his head for a goal kick.
12 min: Yellow card for Ball, who cynically trips McGregor as he is cantering down the left on a counter-attack. Ball was one of those Aberdeen players sent off against Celtic last month, for a tackle on Ryan Christie, who suffered “multiple fractures of the eye socket, jaw and cheekbone,” as a result.
10 min: Aberdeen finally get their foot on the ball. It’s taken 10 minutes. Ball sprays it right but it’s a loose cross from Logan.
8 min: Rogic does go down inside the box after a short corner routine, but the referee is having none of it. It was Cosgrave with the challenge, but it was a good’un.
6 min: Celtic applying some good early pressure. Lowe thinks about a risky challenge on Forrest inside the box, but just about pulls out. Aberdeen can’t get out.
5 min: Timothy Weah, making just his fourth start since his loan move from PSG, darts down the left, gets beyond Logan but his cross can’t find Edouard.
4 min: It’s been a slow start otherwise. Lewis signed a new five-year contract this week and is the only Aberdeen player to have played all 47 matches this season.
2 min: Tierney, who passed a fitness test and will have an operation this summer for a double hernia, gets to the byline and floats a lovely cross to the back post. Rogic climbs highest and nods down powerfully, but Lewis does well to parry the ball, and then pounce on it before any Celtic players can react.
Peeeeep! And we’re off.
There is a minute’s applause pre-match for Billy McNeill and Stevie Chalmers, which both sets of fans keenly join in. The travelling Celtic faithful belt out “There’s only one Stevie Chalmers” from the away end.
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The teams are out. Aberdeen are in their home scarlet kit, Celtic, in their green and white hoops, are lead out by Scott Brown.
Aberdeen 0-2 Celtic de Glasgow. El capitán del Celtic, Scott Brown, tiene el balón, recibe dos entradas durísimas y un balonazo. La reacción es de mis favoritas. Menudo genio. pic.twitter.com/8HNyxWSZGA
— Albert Ortega (@AlbertortegaES2) February 25, 2018
Speaking of discipline, Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes will be in the stands today, serving a one-game SFA suspension after he was sent to the stands in the last meeting of the two sides for gesturing at Celtic fans.
That was in the Scottish Cup semi-final, which Aberdeen lost 3-0, finishing the game with nine men.
Some quotes from Steven Gerrard have just dropped on PA. Rangers play tomorrow tomorrow and if they beat Hibs (and Celtic lose today) they will take the title ‘race’ to next weekend. Ibrox hosts the Old Firm Derby next Sunday.
Steven Gerrard has hinted Alfredo Morelos may have to wait for his Rangers return after stressing he will show loyalty to the players who have stepped up during the Colombian’s suspension.
Morelos was handed a four-game ban after aiming an elbow at Celtic skipper Scott Brown during the Old Firm derby in March. But the absence of their top-scorer has not slowed Rangers’ attack, with Jermain Defoe in good form and Gerrard’s team racking up 11 goals while cruising to four straight victories.
“In any area of the team, if you play well, then you deserve to keep the shirt. Discipline is a word that’s come up a lot in our press conferences and we have been damaged, whether it be through injury or suspension, by not having key players available at key times. The message to the whole team, not just Alfredo, is we want them to be aggressive and strong but in the right way as it’s important we keep 11 players on the pitch and give ourselves the best chance of being successful.”
Celtic’s current crop of players really do stand on the shoulders of giants, and two in particular.
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We can’t preview this game without mentioning Billy McNeill. The captain of the Lisbon Lions was laid to rest on Friday, and Celtic fans came out in their thousands to honour the great man.
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The teams
Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Devlin, McKenna, Lowe, Ball, Ferguson, Wilson, May, Stewart, Cosgrove.
Subs: Virtanen, Halford, Cerny, Campbell, Dangana, Ethan Ross, MacKenzie.
Celtic: Bain, Lustig, Simunovic, Ajer, Tierney, Brown, McGregor, Forrest, Rogic, Weah, Edouard.
Subs: Toljan, Sinclair, Hayes, Ntcham, De Vries, Burke, Benkovic.
Referee: John Beaton (Scotland)
Preamble
Hello world. Celtic are on the verge of their eighth successive title, which (even accounting for the skewed nature of Fitba) is a magnificent achievement. A win or draw at Aberdeen today will get them over the line – it will be the 50th time they have been named champions of Scotland (just four more to match Rangers’ 54, lads!).
It is easy to scoff at all this, and while there is no doubt that anything but first place for the Bhoys would be an abject failure, it is also worth remembering that they lost their best striker (on deadline day last summer) and their manager (in February) and still look like they will canter over the line. Neil Lennon will be keen to have everything wrapped up today, because:
a) his contract is up at the summer
b) Celtic’s next game is at Rangers
c) Nobody wants to limp over the line like PSG
That said, a victory at Aberdeen isn’t the easiest task. Celtic made tough work of this fixture last season, winning 4-3, thanks to a hatty from Scott Sinclair and a delicious dink from Odsonne Edouard.
Aberdeen, currently in third, have their own ambitions of securing European football. This will be the first season in five season that they will not finish runners up, and they have a point to prove. Should be a cracking game.
Kick off: 12.30pm BST.
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