Celtic will welcome Hearts for a decisive match in the Scottish Premiership, where the top two teams in the league face off on the final day at Parkhead, wrapping up an exhilarating season.
Hearts are on a quest to secure their first league title since 1960, aiming to break the Old Firm’s 41-year stronghold on Scottish football. They have been leading the league since September, currently holding a one-point advantage.
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Derek McInnes and his squad have the chance to make history by avoiding defeat, but they must bounce back after a heart-wrenching near miss on Wednesday night.
This comes after Celtic managed a 3-2 victory against Motherwell, clinched through a controversial penalty decision.
This means that Martin O’Neill’s side can defend their title with a win over Hearts in front of their home fans, having strung together six consecutive victories to push the title race to the last matchday.
Here’s all the essential information
When is Celtic vs. Hearts?
The match kicks off at 12:30 PM on Saturday, May 16, at Celtic Park in Glasgow.
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Will Celtic vs. Hearts be on TV?
The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with coverage starting at 11:30 AM.
Confirmed line-ups
Celtic XI: Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Engels, Nygren, Yang, Tounekti, Maeda.
Hearts XI: Schwolow; Steinwender, Kingsley, Findlay; Altena, Baningime, Devlin, Milne; Kyziridis, Shankland, Kabore.
What is the team news?
Celtic will maintain their lineup, with Martin O’Neill seemingly favoring a consistent strategy, opting for Sebastian Tounekti on the wing over Luke McCowan. Daizen Maeda continues his impressive scoring run from the last game, and Kelechi Iheanacho is available as a potent substitute if needed.
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Claudio Braga and Blair Spittal have been benched, a notable decision by Derek McInnes, especially as Braga has struggled in recent weeks. Hearts are expected to employ a back-three, with defensive wing-backs being featured, including Harry Milne and Jordi Altena.
Title scenarios
For Hearts: A victory secures the title, a draw guarantees them the championship, while a loss would hand the title to Celtic.
For Celtic: The path is straightforward; they must defeat Hearts to win the title.
Thoughts from the managers
Martin O’Neill: “While we may not end up winning it, I believe we’ve shown incredible resilience over recent weeks.” He added, “The players have displayed tremendous character, fighting to the last moment. It could go either way, but we’ve made it to the final match.”
Derek McInnes: “Entering a stadium of 60,000 fans is always daunting. Despite leading the league for much of the season, we’ll be viewed as the underdogs. Competing against Celtic, given their resources, is a significant achievement for our team, and we are eager to take on the challenge.”