European Exit Complete - Now, Celtic Confront a Pivotal Two-Week Period

With the Europa League behind them, Celtic now face a campaign-altering fortnight.

Come mid-March, they might be cruising in the league with the momentum on their side and into the Scottish Cup last four.

Alternatively, they could be further toiling to retain the championship and staring at a silverware-free campaign.

The first stop is a trip to Ibrox on Sunday for a massive league clash, with Celtic behind Rangers by a couple of points after playing one game less, with Hearts six points ahead of the champions.

This is followed by a journey in midweek to Aberdeen, before heading back to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final and then hosting in-form and formidable Motherwell.

A half-dozen of their following seven fixtures are on the road compared to Celtic Park. This often-criticized Celtic team is set to be stress-tested after a chaotic opening months of the season.

"We can expect a lot of surprises and changes," commented a former Celtic defender. "I wouldn't be surprised if the league goes to the final day. But they must prove themselves over the coming handful of games. You have to be relentless, otherwise they will not win the trophies."

Manager Faces Selection 'Conundrum'

Although the victory over Stuttgart being ultimately irrelevant in Celtic's bid to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, it could still turn out to be important.

The manager rotated eight of his starting line-up and some of the squad members delivered impressive performances to claim the club's maiden win in Germany.

Luke McCowan calmly slotted the winner after under half a minute and played positively, while in the defence, several defenders excelled in a resilient display.

Murray in particular stated his claim to start next to Liam Scales. One magnificent block stood out and he was confident when defending corners.

But the most discussed display was delivered by back-up goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he contributed significantly in a long-awaited shutout in six matches.

The first-choice goalkeeper has been under heavy criticism after a string of mistakes. The 26-year-old stepped in and made six saves, in a display labeled "flawless" by a former Celtic midfielder.

A former Celtic goalkeeper is of the opinion Sinisalo did enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.

"He had some very good saves and looked calm when he had the ball and read the game well," was the assessment. "The manager has a tough call to make at the weekend. Based on that showing, I would be starting him. Give him a run in the team now."

The Celtic manager conceded that several players have given him "food for thought".

"[Sinisalo] played brilliantly in the game, exceptionally. That's the name all round the dressing room," the manager said. "He's got a lot of talent."

'Pivotal' Rangers Test Awaits

The additional positive of Celtic's win was that they showed they can grind out a victory.

Historically, Celtic have pitched up and typically sought to control possession from start to finish against every domestic opponent.

But this more fragile side had looked increasingly vulnerable in recent times, often letting in more than one goal per game.

Having not won at Ibrox in four attempts and considering Rangers have won their past 10 home matches, a demonstration of toughness in Germany was well-timed.

Might Celtic take a slightly more pragmatic approach? Right now, it is all about winning.

"You don't have to have most of the ball to win the game," noted an pundit. "You've got to work hard, defend well, get a bit of luck and have a good goalkeeper."

"Celtic have not played well this season, but they are hanging in there [in the league]. They retain a chance, with a game in hand. The players will take great confidence from tonight - the weekend will be a critical one."