European Exit Complete - Now, Celtic Enter a Critical Fortnight

With the Europa League behind them, Celtic now face a campaign-altering two-week spell.

By 14 March, they could be motoring in the league with the wind at their backs and into the Scottish Cup last four.

Or, they might find themselves further toiling to retain the championship and staring at a trophyless season.

The initial challenge is a trip to Ibrox on Sunday for a titanic league match, with Celtic behind Rangers by two points after playing one match fewer, with Hearts six clear of the champions.

Then it is a midweek trip to Aberdeen, before heading back to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup last eight and then hosting high-flying and tough Motherwell.

Six of their following seven fixtures are on the road compared to Celtic Park. This much-maligned Celtic group is about to be put under severe pressure after a rollercoaster first two-thirds of the season.

"There will be a lot of twists and turns," commented a ex-Celtic player. "I wouldn't be surprised if the league goes to the final day. But they will have to do it over the coming handful of games. You have to be utterly consistent, or else 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 last 16 of the Europa League, it could yet prove significant.

The manager rotated a large number of his first eleven and some of the squad members delivered impressive performances to secure the club's first ever win in Germany.

Luke McCowan calmly slotted the winner after under half a minute and played positively, while in the back four, several defenders stood out in a gutsy performance.

Murray in particular stated his claim to start alongside Liam Scales. One magnificent defensive intervention was notable and he was confident when dealing with set-pieces.

But the most discussed performance was saved for second-choice goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he contributed significantly in a first Celtic clean sheet in six matches.

The established goalkeeper has been under heavy criticism after a string of mistakes. The 26-year-old was called upon and made several crucial stops, in a display described as "flawless" by a former Celtic midfielder.

A club goalkeeping great is of the opinion Sinisalo performed well enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.

"He had some very good saves and looked calm when he had the ball and had good anticipation," was the assessment. "It's a big decision to make at the weekend. Based on that showing, I would be starting him. Let him keep his place in the team now."

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

"[Sinisalo] was outstanding in the game, exceptionally. He's the talk all round the dressing room," the manager commented. "He's got a lot of talent."

'Pivotal' Rangers Challenge Lies Ahead

The other benefit of Celtic's win was that they demonstrated they can grind out a victory.

Historically, Celtic have pitched up and naturally looked to control possession from start to finish against every Scottish rival.

But this less robust side had looked increasingly vulnerable this year, regularly conceding more than one goal per game.

Without a victory at Ibrox in four attempts and considering Rangers have won their past 10 home matches, a show of resilience in Germany was timely.

Could Celtic take a slightly more pragmatic approach? Right now, it is solely concerning winning.

"You don't need to have most of the ball to win the game," observed an pundit. "You've got to work hard, be solid at the back, get a bit of luck and have a good goalkeeper."

"Celtic have struggled for form this season, but they are still in contention [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."