Out of Europe - Now, Celtic Confront a Pivotal Two-Week Period

Now their European journey is over, Celtic are now staring down a season-defining fortnight.

Come mid-March, they could be motoring in the title race with the momentum on their side and through to the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Or, they might find themselves still struggling to defend their title and staring at a silverware-free campaign.

The first stop is Ibrox on Sunday for a massive league match, with Celtic behind Rangers by two points after playing one game less, with Hearts six clear of the champions.

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

Six of their next seven fixtures are away from Celtic Park. This often-criticized Celtic squad is set to be stress-tested after a chaotic opening months of the season.

"We can expect a lot of twists and turns," stated a former Celtic defender. "It wouldn't shock me if the league is decided on the final day. But they will have to do it over the next five or six games. You have to be utterly consistent, or else they won't take the trophies."

Manager Faces Selection 'Dilemma'

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

The manager changed a large number of his starting line-up and some of the squad members delivered eye-catching displays to secure the club's first ever win in Germany.

Luke McCowan stroked home the winner after just 28 seconds and was a positive influence, while in the back four, Dane Murray excelled in a gutsy display.

Murray in particular made his case to start next to Liam Scales. One magnificent block stood out and he was assured when dealing with set-pieces.

But the most talked-about performance was saved for back-up goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he contributed significantly in a first Celtic clean sheet in six matches.

The established goalkeeper has faced 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 believes Sinisalo did enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.

"He had some excellent saves and looked composed when he had the ball and had good anticipation," he said. "The manager has a tough call to make at the weekend. On that performance, I would be starting him. Give him a run in the team now."

The Celtic manager agreed that several players have given him "plenty to consider".

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

'Critical' Rangers Test Lies Ahead

The other benefit of Celtic's win was that they showed they can battle to a victory.

Over the years, Celtic have arrived and naturally looked to dominate the ball from start to finish against every Scottish rival.

But this more fragile side had looked more and more susceptible in recent times, often conceding more than one goal per game.

Without a victory at Ibrox in their last four visits and given Rangers have won their past 10 home matches, a demonstration of toughness in Germany was timely.

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

"You don't need to have most of the ball to win the game," observed an analyst. "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 still in contention [in the league]. They still have a chance, with a match to spare. The players will take great confidence from tonight - the weekend will be a decisive one."