Celtic are back as the first pre-season friendly of the 2025/26 season takes place tonight.
Brendan Rodgers’ side lifted a domestic double last time out but will be more fired up than ever with Rangers under new ownership and management.
The Hoops have made four signings this summer but not all of them will feature against the Scottish Championship side as they return later due to international commitments.
This is the first of Celtic’s 2025 pre-season schedule before games against Cork City, Sporting CP, Newcastle United and the Como Cup.
Ahead of the short trip to The City Stadium, 67 Hail Hail predicts how the starting XI could look.
Celtic’s Predicted XI vs Queen’s Park
Ross Doohan
The first of the new signings to feature in the side, Ross Doohan returned to Celtic Park this summer after leaving three years ago.
Doohan will get the nod as Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo don’t return until a later date due to representing their respective countries.
Coming in as the third choice, there won’t be many chances between the sticks, but he will hope to make a solid impression.
Colby Donovan
Colby Donovan is a highly-rated youngster in the Celtic B side and was a part of the first team’s pre-season preparations in 2024.
Rodgers rates him highly and a run out against second tier opposition would be a good indicator to see where his level is at.
Dane Murray
Dane Murray spent the first half of last season on loan at Queen’s Park before returning to Celtic, where he featured in the Champions League defeat against Aston Villa.
Murray is 22 now so can’t call himself a youthful prospect and knows that time is running out to force his way into Rodgers’ plans.
It may be a pre-season game but it feels like this is a big moment for the centre-back.
Auston Trusty
Now in his second season at the club, Auston Trusty will be hoping he can nail down a regular starting spot for the Hoops.
The USMNT defender shared a rotational role with Liam Scales but as a £6m signing, will be hoping to prove that Celtic don’t need to sign a centre-back and that he is the man to partner Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Mitchell Frame
Kieran Tierney is due to return at a later date and Greg Taylor has signed for PAOK, leaving Mitchell Frame as the left back to step in.
Frame was introduced to the Celtic B team in the 2023/24 season and has already made his senior debut for the Hoops.
He has experience of playing with the senior squad and is more than capable of showing what he can do.
Callum McGregor (C)
Callum McGregor has admitted to loving pre-season and the 32-year-old looks raring to go.
It’s unlikely that he, or anyone will play a full 90 minutes, but minutes in the tank will be beneficial and starting the game can help set the Bhoys’ tempo.
Kyle Ure
Kyle Ure was crowned as the academy player of the year for last season and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of midfield partner McGregor.
Ure captains the side at youth level and deserves a chance to shine with the first team.
Luke McCowan
The boyhood fan returns in the middle of the park, this time for his first full pre-season with the club.
Luke McCowan represented great value for £1m but this time will hope for more goals and more assists, as well as competing with Arne Engels for that starting spot in midfield next to McGregor and Reo Hatate.
Sean McArdle
With Celtic agreeing a fee with Como for Nicolas Kuhn, an opportunity comes for Sean McArdle to be introduced from the off.
McArdle was given a couple of cameo substitute appearances last season and will hope to be given even more chances this year.
The majority of the club’s wingers are still yet to return so the youngster starts from the off.
Callum Osmand
Callum Osmand is the most recent addition to the Celtic squad and the second of the four new signings to start the game.
Osmand spoke to Matt O’Riley before joining the Hoops from Fulham but will want to match the goalscoring efforts of Moussa Dembele.
At 19 years old, this will be his first proper first team experience but what better way to bed him in than starting him from the off?
James Forrest
James Forrest takes the final starting spot, playing in the unorthodox left wing spot for now.
Forrest scored for the 16th season in a row on the final day of last season and will be looking to make it 17 this time around.
He was electric at the end of the season and will be hoping to pick up from where he left off.
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