Hearts seek to prove they belong among title contenders at Celtic Park
Hearts’ last visit to Celtic Park in May ended in a heartbreaking collapse, as the title race slipped away in just eleven minutes and the players were escorted from a chaotic scene back onto the team bus in their kits and boots. Around 800 Jambos watched the drama unfold, while thousands more in Gorgie endured the disappointment.
The prospect of returning to the champions’ home ground has been daunting, but a refreshed squad under Wouter Vrancken is now ready to face a Celtic side that has recently faced criticism from its own supporters after a stinging European loss to Benfica. Earlier this week, influential Hearts backer Tony Bloom reiterated his confidence in the club’s title ambitions. The upcoming Sunday match at 15:00 BST will offer a clue as to whether those hopes are realistic this season.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, still upbeat after a 4‑1 victory in Lisbon, acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming clash, describing Hearts as genuine challengers. “I think it will be every bit as tough as it was on the last day of last season,” O’Neill said. “I genuinely do think they are title challengers. I know they’ve lost two league games, but overall I think they can challenge.”
Celtic have been dominant in the league, winning 14 of their last 15 matches and scoring two or more goals in 11 of those. A win on Sunday could see them extend their lead to four points after Rangers drew at Dundee. At home, Celtic have prevailed in 26 of their previous 29 league encounters with Hearts, though they have dropped two of the last six.
Last season, Hearts earned seven points from four league games against Celtic – the highest tally for any non‑Old Firm side in a single campaign since 1999‑00. This season, however, their away form has been poor, with only two victories in the last eleven league trips and no clean sheets in that span. A 5‑0 triumph over St Mirren was part of a run of five wins and a draw in seven matches since Vrancken took charge.
Vrancken has urged his players not to dwell on the May disappointment. “I’m convinced the players will be focused on the game on Sunday and not on the past,” he said. “You can’t live in the past. You have to move forward and look forward, and you have to take on the next one. I hope the fire is there every game we play, not only because something happened before. You also don’t look in the past too much because it is negative energy, and we need positive energy. This fire has to burn when you play every game, especially the top games.”
Midfielder Oisin McEntee, who featured in last season’s squad, stressed that the Glasgow trip is not about revenge. He scored Hearts’ opening goal against Nordsjaelland in the Conference League, a match that ended in a 1‑1 draw after a late equaliser. Josh McPake has been instrumental in recent form, contributing a goal or an assist in six of Hearts’ last seven open‑play goals in the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic’s recent European form has been mixed, suffering their fourth defeat in five games after a loss to Benfica, while unrest between the club’s fans and board continues to simmer. Nevertheless, the team remains confident, aiming to maintain their strong home record and to keep pressure on the title race. The Sunday showdown promises to be a litmus test for both clubs as Hearts look to turn past heartbreak into a statement of intent.