Despite being 17 points clear at the top of the table and champions of Scotland once again, Celtic might face a more worthy challenge from Rangers next season, because of the impending investment from 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh. Stiliyan Petrov has a simple solution to stem any potential threat from Ibrox. "Buy another five Daizen Maedas," he said.
"There's definitely going to be action from a Celtic point of view. I'm sure that Celtic has acknowledged that with the new format of the Champions League, they have a huge potential to do something special on the European stage. So I'm pretty sure that Celtic will spend money and give the boys some help. Because it's always good to see fresh faces, some quality and that's what Celtic needs."
Read more:
-
Celtic vs Newcastle United: Away allocation, ticket details & kick-off time
-
Real reason Odin Thiago Holm snubbed Celtic trophy lift revealed
There could have been a mass-emptying of Ibrox if Maeda had landed a killer blow in the dying embers of Sunday's Glasgow derby.
The electric Japanese forward sped through on goal, and given his track record this season, appeared likely to give Rangers a taste of their own medicine and win it late on for Celtic, after Hamza Igamane did so at Parkhead in March. It ultimately wasn't to be as a combination of Liam Kelly and James Tavernier spared the hosts' blushes.
"Well, I felt tired the way he was running for 97 minutes," said Petrov.
"He's just relentless. The way he's been playing, he's been incredible for all of the season.
"I think he's matured really well. He's learned how to penetrate with runs and make sure that he scores goals. This is what makes you a top player and he has become a top player for the club. I thought he could finish it better on Sunday, maybe that's something that you think about.
"But you can't blame him. People are talking about how in the last 48 hours he flew to Japan and back - and he played 97 minutes and he's still making that run. You have to give him a lot of credit."
Given Maeda's stellar season, for which he was recently named PFA Scotland's Player of the Year, it is almost impossible to knock him. One player who has been critiqued throughout the campaign, though, is Arne Engels.
Expectations of the Belgian in Glasgow were perhaps unfairly heightened given his record-breaking £11 million price tag. Still, 10 goals and over as many assists along with two trophies isn't a half bad return for a 21-year-old in not even his maiden 12 months in a new land. Petrov thinks there is more to come from Engels yet. "Sometimes people judge players way too early and too soon," he said.
"I think when Celtic brought Hatate to the club, there was a lot of questions about him. Can he do it, does he have the physicality to do it? But it seems like those players adapt really well. They've got a great manager, they've got a staff that helps them develop and I'm sure that Engels will be a completely different player next season. Obviously it's a new league for him. You want to understand a little bit more about the teams, who he plays against. Also finding out a little bit about his teammates. I think that next season we'll see a different Engels."
Although Engels moved away from Belgium as a teenager, Scotland inherently differs from Germany and other parts of mainland Europe. Petrov, who made over 300 Celtic appearances after joining the club from CSKA-Sofia in 1999, knows all too well about the period of adaptation. "Well, I'm the prime example. I can talk a lot about it. You do need time to settle, it's completely different football.
"People talk a lot about Scottish football, is it easy, is it not easy? It's difficult and especially when you have to win every single week, when you have to perform every single week, you have to be consistent every single week.
"It's a lot of pressure and somebody who's not been in this kind of environment with that demands from the fans, it takes a lot of pressure on you. And players do need time to settle, to understand.
"Some of us come from different countries, different cultures and without friends, family, and you have to adapt to it. It does take time, and I'm sure that Engels will do well because he's got the potential. And when you have the potential, if you're willing to improve and be part of a great club, you'll do that."
Engels couldn't have a better midfield role model than Celtic captain Callum McGregor. Although he is now somewhat of an elder-statesman in Brendan Rodgers' side, the 31-year-old remains as energetic, dynamic and, in Glasgow derbies, feisty as ever. Petrov reckons that drive, along with McGregor's elite football IQ, means he could carry on for at least another half-decade. "He's huge. I mean, I love Callum McGregor. There are so many different stories in the media about how good he is at Celtic, but what is really important about Callum McGregor is his consistency of performance.
"He's been the dynamo of the team. He's been controlling the games, he's been pushing everybody else, he acted as a real captain. There's a young team and players that want to really improve and he has been there for them.
"[He's got] about five years [left], at least The funny thing with Callum McGregor is that he knows how to pace himself. He doesn't make wrong runs, he always makes sure that he's on the ball. He controls the game and when you have the knowledge about playing the game then you can prolong your career."
Although Celtic are just one game away from securing another sought-after domestic treble, Glaswegian bragging rights remain ever important to supporters. Rangers could have beat their fierce city rivals for the third consecutive league match for the first time since 1997 had things went differently on Sunday at Ibrox.
Both sides were forced to settle for a point, something Petrov would never have been happy with. "Knowing Barry [Ferguson], I've come across him so many times as a player, and he hasn't changed. He always wanted to win, he always had that fire and desire.
"Brendan Rodgers is the same, so I would think both managers would feel that they could have taken more from the game. Me as a player, personally, I would never accept a draw as a good result. It's one of these historical games, people around the world watch the game, they pay attention to what's happening in Scotland.
"It's a small country but this is one of the oldest derbies in the world. I think the attention has been great and I don't think the managers will be satisfied with the draw. But as a neutral, you're thinking that a draw is probably a good ending of the season between the two teams."
