Celtic Beaten 3-0 by Rangers Ahead of League Rematch
Celtic lost 3-0 to Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.
It was a heavy derby defeat for the Scottish champions. There is no time to dwell on it. Celtic face Ferencvaros in their Europa League opener before hosting Rangers in the league on Sunday, according to BBC Sport.
The Premier Sports Cup is Scotland's League Cup, a knockout competition that runs alongside the league season. The Europa League is Europe's second-tier club competition, one step below the Champions League. Celtic have both to juggle around Sunday's rematch.
Manager Martin O'Neill won the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup with Celtic last season. They sealed the league in dramatic fashion, leapfrogging Heart of Midlothian on the final day with a seventh straight league win.
That momentum carried into this season. Celtic have stretched their Premiership winning run to 13 games, with six wins from six to start the campaign. The league streak survived the cup exit. Cup ties sit outside league form.
The wins have rarely been comfortable. Four of the six league victories this season came by a single goal. The free-scoring days arrived away from home, with 12 goals across wins at Kilmarnock, Dundee United and the first leg of the Champions League play-off against LASK, a two-legged tie to reach the group stage.
Camilo Duran has driven much of that attack. He has six goals and three assists in 10 appearances for Celtic. That is a direct contribution to a goal almost once per game.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has questioned that form. He called Celtic "flat-track bullies", beating teams they were expected to beat, and questioned O'Neill's team selection after the derby defeat, according to BBC Sport. Sutton said the midfield is talented but lightweight.
For fans, this is where the noise gets loud. A 3-0 loss to Rangers stings. A league derby three days after European football gives Celtic an immediate answer.
Win on Sunday and the league run reaches seven from seven. Lose, and the questions around the big games grow.
