European Exit Complete - Next Up, Celtic Enter a Crucial Fortnight

With the Europa League behind them, Celtic are now staring down a campaign-altering fortnight.

Come mid-March, they could be motoring in the league with the momentum on their side and through to the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Or, they could be still struggling to retain the championship and staring at a silverware-free campaign.

The initial challenge is a trip to Ibrox on Sunday for a huge league encounter, with Celtic trailing Rangers by two points having played one match less, with Hearts six points ahead of the title holders.

Then it is a midweek trip to Aberdeen, before returning to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup last eight and then welcoming high-flying and tough Motherwell.

A half-dozen of their following seven matches are away from Celtic Park. This much-maligned Celtic group is set to be stress-tested after a rollercoaster opening months of the season.

"We can expect a lot of surprises and changes," stated a former Celtic defender. "It wouldn't shock me if the league goes to the final day. But they must prove themselves over the next five or six games. You have to be utterly consistent, otherwise they will not win the trophies."

Manager Faces Selection 'Dilemma'

Despite the 1-0 win over Stuttgart being ultimately irrelevant in Celtic's bid to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, it could yet prove important.

The manager changed a large number of his starting line-up and some of the fringe players put in eye-catching displays to secure the club's maiden win in Germany.

Luke McCowan calmly slotted the decisive goal after under half a minute and was a positive influence, while in the defence, Dane Murray excelled in a gutsy performance.

Murray in particular made his case to start next to Liam Scales. A superb defensive intervention was notable and he was confident when defending corners.

But the most discussed performance was delivered by back-up goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he played his part in a first Celtic clean sheet in six matches.

The established goalkeeper has faced heavy criticism after a string of mistakes. The Finnish stepped in and made several crucial stops, in a display described as "perfect" by a club legend.

A former Celtic goalkeeper is of the opinion Sinisalo did enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.

"He had some very good saves and looked composed when he had the ball and read the game well," was the assessment. "The manager has a tough call to make at the weekend. Based on that showing, I would be starting him. Give him a run in the team now."

The Celtic manager conceded that several players have given him "plenty to consider".

"[Sinisalo] was outstanding in the game, exceptionally. He's the talk all round the dressing room," the manager commented. "He's got a lot of talent."

'Pivotal' Rangers Challenge Lies Ahead

The additional positive of Celtic's win was that they demonstrated they can grind out a victory.

Over the years, Celtic have pitched up and naturally looked to dominate the ball from the first whistle to the last against every Scottish rival.

But this less robust side had looked increasingly vulnerable in recent times, regularly letting in more than one goal per game.

Without a victory at Ibrox in four attempts and given Rangers have won their past 10 home matches, a show of resilience in Germany was timely.

Could Celtic take a somewhat more cautious approach? Right now, it is solely concerning winning.

"You don't have to have all the possession to win the game," observed an analyst. "You've got to work hard, be solid at the back, get a bit of luck and have a reliable shot-stopper."

"Celtic have struggled for form this season, but they are still in contention [in the league]. They retain a chance, with a match to spare. The players will take great confidence from tonight - the weekend will be a decisive one."