Scottish football is the talk of the world today.
It’s not often that you hear that! Hearts’ unlikely title push has drawn the eyes of plenty across the globe. Celtic, in the eyes of most, are the bad guys.
In terms of drama, it truly has been the season of seasons. Wednesday night’s Celtic penalty furore has just added more fuel to an already-raging fire of discourse. Today, it comes to the ultimate climax.
Some of the biggest outlets in world football firmly have their eyes peeled.
After the DRAMATIC win over Motherwell, give us your predictions for Celtic’s title showdown vs Hearts 👇
If Celtic win, they win the league…
Outlets across the globe preview Celtic
The Wall Street Journal: Tony Bloom angle
That’s right — the Wall Street Journal is talking about Derek McInnes. Truly bonkers stuff.
In their piece, titled “How a Pro Gambler and a Secret Database Turned a 150-1 Long Shot Into a Soccer Miracle”, they focus on the background of football’s most celebrated stat-nerd, Tony Bloom.
They focus on the background of Jamestown Analytics and StarLizard, and his initial rise as the owner of Brighton in the Premier League.
Though heavily focused on the Tynecastle side, it does add the context that Celtic have been left “vulnerable” by off-pitch factors this season.
READ MORE: Celtic duo Sebastian Tounekti and Hyunjun Yang learn World Cup squad fates
L’Equipe: A 90-minute cup final
Renowned French outlet L’Equipe frame the game as a ‘”90-minute cup final”, which it absolutely is.
They focus on the analytics angle as well as the ‘ghost’ of 86. In our eyes, the word ‘spirit’ is more suitable…
Regarding Celtic, the piece says: “Despite a chaotic season – three managers, a Champions League playoff exit in August, and the possibility of finishing below 80 points for the first time since 2021 – Celtic have finally turned things around.
“Trailing by nine points in the autumn, the reigning champions spent the season chasing the league leaders without ever managing to overtake them.
“Six consecutive wins and a perfect record in the playoffs: this team knows how to win when it counts.
“And this Saturday, in front of a sold-out Celtic Park and more than 60,000 fans, they will play with only one obligation: to win and retain their crown. Anything less will be enough for Heart of Midlothian.”
Should Derek McInnes face punishment for his response to Celtic’s penalty call against Motherwell?
ESPN Brasil: Hearts the new Leicester?
Aside from their four paragraphs about Brazilian Hearts midfielder Ageu — who has started just one game this season — ESPN Brasil compare Hearts to Leicester.
They say: “The situation becomes even more tense because the final round will feature a direct confrontation between Hearts and Celtic at the iconic Celtic Park.
“A potential victory would carry immense weight. The country hasn’t seen a champion outside of the Rangers and Celtic duo since the 1984/85 season, when Aberdeen, managed by Alex Ferguson, lifted the national trophy.
“Since then, the tournament has become practically the exclusive territory of Glasgow’s giants, who together have an impressive 55 titles each.
“Hearts, a club with a long tradition and one of Edinburgh’s most passionate fan bases, is trying to write a similar story to Leicester City’s in the Premier League , challenging a financially unequal landscape.”
Bild: The referee hysteria
German tabloid Bild use McInnes’ rant about the disgusting penalty call on Wednesday. They focus very heavily on this before mentioning today’s game.
They say: “Nicholson’s hand was indeed on his forehead as he headed the ball away.
“However, the Motherwell player received a push from opponent Trusty beforehand – it was likely only then that his hand slid towards the ball. R
“Referee Beaton nevertheless awarded a penalty for handball. Iheanacho converted it for a late victory, keeping Celtic’s title hopes alive.
“A draw would have meant the Glasgow club needed a three-goal win on the final matchday. As it stands, a single victory is enough.”
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