Celtic are not in action this midweek or next as the UEFA qualifiers reach their end point for another season.
As we’ve already covered, there are some teams you should be rooting for in the Champions League playoff round.
The Europa League and Europa Conference League are also in play with Hibernian taking on Aston Villa in one of the most tasty clashes.
Hibs man Lewis Stevenson reckons Villa will be the best side he has ever faced in a competitive fixture. The veteran full-back has been thrashed by a number of top Celtic sides over the years, yet it seems like he is going all-in on the mid-table Premier League outfit.
“Apart from the Barcelona friendly, they’ll be the best team I’ve faced,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News.
“We’ve come up against good Celtic and Rangers teams but even money-wise, they’re a step ahead. It’s going to be really tough.
“It’s something that I thought I’d never do, play against an English Premier League team in a competitive game and I’ll be trying to make the most of it. I’ll be telling the younger ones that these games don’t come around very often so we need to enjoy them.”
Meanwhile, former Celtic and Hibernian boss Neil Lennon has offered an alternative tactic to the Leith side for Wednesday night.
With Easter Road set to be packed and buoyant, Lennon admits he would be a fan of the home side showing some physicality, even if it extends to a firm challenge on his former player John McGinn.
“I would send someone out to give John a wrap on the ankle early doors to get the crowd going as well,” he said on Monday’s PLZ show.
Unsurprisingly, the comment has got plenty of Celtic fans talking in the replies. The common consensus seems to be that it’s that kind of approach that has seen Lennon’s managerial reputation fall in recent times.
It will be interesting to see how Hibernian get on against the immensely rich Premier League side. Let’s hope, for Scottish football’s sake, that they give a good account of themselves.
In other news, Stephen Welsh didn’t forget his Celtic upbringing with class May visit to Ibrox
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