The highly anticipated post-split fixtures are nearly here, with Celtic preparing to host a wounded Falkirk, who lost the Scottish Cup semi-final, this Saturday evening.
Following a two-week hiatus for Celtic’s title rivals Hearts and Rangers, Martin O’Neill’s men have the perfect opportunity to build on their Scottish Cup semi-final win when they kick off proceedings a day early.
Celtic can lay down a serious marker and pile the pressure squarely on Hearts and Rangers, who don’t take to the pitch until Sunday.
Either way, Celtic’s official website released images from the latest training sessions from Lennoxtown, and it made for some interesting viewing.
From Tomas Cvancara returning to action to Michel Ange-Balikwisha portraying a figure that hasn’t been left out of countless Celtic matchday squads, here is what 67 Hail Hail learned.
We have named our Celtic XI to face Falkirk – what does yours look like?
Tomas Cvancara returns to training, and Michel-Ange Balikwisha is all smiles
Cvancara missed Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren last Sunday, with Daizen Maeda playing up top, scoring after the first minute, and then Kelechi Iheanacho netting a brace from the bench.
Celtic’s January arrival is putting in the effort, but he just can’t find the back of the net as regularly as fans would want.
But you expect that when O’Neill does his pre-match presser for the Falkirk fixture, he will inform everyone that Cvancara is back in contention.
Then you have the much-forgotten Balikwisha. Perhaps a player who has epitomised the mess of Celtic’s recruitment.
Despite hardly featuring, not putting in a single great performance, Balikwisha was pictured in training, enjoying himself, all smiles, perhaps he has been told he will return to the matchday squad for Falkirk?
What else from Celtic training?
Other positive news for the Hoops was that Callum Osmand continued to train, and hopefully, he will be part of the main party sooner rather than later.
O’Neill previously revealed that if Alistair Johnston hadn’t suffered a setback in Canada training during the March international break, he would have been back on the pitch now.
But the positive is that Johnston was also all smiles and training with the players, which is another big positive ahead of these hectic post-split fixtures.
With Julian Araujo out for the season, and Colby Donovan still sidelined, Celtic need all the help they can get at right-back.
But Anthony Ralston was Man of the Match against St Mirren, so he deserves his flowers for putting in such a performance when everyone is out injured.
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