Celtic vs Hibernian

Celtic vs. Hibernian Preview: Champions Host Hibs in Crucial Finale

Celtic, already crowned Scottish Premiership champions, will host Hibernian at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon in a match with contrasting motivations. While the Bhoys celebrate another dominant campaign, Hibs are locked in a battle to secure third place and a potential Europa League spot.

Celtic’s Season of Success

Brendan Rodgers’ side have reaffirmed their domestic supremacy, clinching the Scottish Premiership and League Cup while preparing for a Scottish FA Cup final against Aberdeen later this month. Their latest league triumph brings them level with Rangers on 55 top-flight titles—a record Rodgers will be eager to break next season.

Though their focus may already be shifting to the future, Celtic will want to maintain momentum in their remaining league fixtures ahead of the cup final. A victory would also keep them on track for a sixth domestic treble in nine years, further solidifying Rodgers’ incredible record of 11 trophies from 12 available during his tenure.

However, their recent form has been slightly shaky—a 1-1 draw with Rangers last time out extended their winless run against their rivals to three games, meaning they’ll be eager to return to winning ways this weekend.

Hibernian’s Remarkable Resurgence

For Hibs, this match is far more than a dead rubber. After a dismal start to the season—bottom of the table with just 12 points after 16 games—David Gray’s side staged an unbelievable turnaround, going on a 17-match unbeaten run (12 wins, 5 draws) to surge into third place.

That streak matched a near 80-year club record, but their momentum was halted in the post-split opener, a 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen. Now, with European qualification still within reach, Hibs will be desperate to bounce back with a strong performance at Celtic Park.

After suffering their first league loss since December, Hibs might have resorted to their old ways, but Gray's team came back with a spectacular 3-1 victory over Dundee United, and a 1-0 loss to Aberdeen that same weekend meant Hibs had regained their three-point lead in third place.

Hibernian will be motivated to win all three points on Saturday in order to hold onto their lead and guarantee their spot in the Europa League for the upcoming campaign, but they will need to defeat a Celtic team they haven't defeated at Celtic Park since January 2010.