The Scottish Premiership returns for 10 clubs this weekend after only two sides played last time out. Five clubs were given more time to prepare for European play-off fixtures and, while Hearts succeeded in their task of progression, Rangers, Hibernian and Motherwell all missed out on the Conference League. Celtic crumbled in the second leg of their Champions League play-off against LASK, although they have the compensation of still being in Europe in the Europa League.
Those midweek results beg questions before Saturday and Sunday's games. Celtic face Benfica & Hearts meet Trabzonspor Have expensively assembled Rangers improved at all under McInnes? Until Tuesday, champions Celtic's season was ambling along well.
Three domestic wins without conceding and a 3-0 victory over LASK in the first leg of the Champions League play-off had them in good stead. Their position improved further with the opening goal in the second leg in Austria. Four LASK goals later, it was extra time.
And then, the tie was lost as a fifth concession on the night consigned Celtic to the Europa League. They will face Benfica, Bestikas, Celta Vigo, Ferencvaros, Marseille, Omonia, Torreense and Union SG in the autumn but, before then, they have domestic matters to turn to, starting with a home match with Falkirk on Saturday ( ). Celtic's form pre-Austria and their record of five wins out of five against Falkirk last season would suggest this game should hold no fears for them but could a European hangover beset the Premiership holders?
Captain Callum McGregor said they were "passive" and looked "scared" against the Austrian champions. Indeed, the way in which the tie got away from Celtic was alarming. Martin O'Neill side played 120 minutes during the week while Falkirk are refreshed after two weeks without a game.
Despite that, John McGlynn's side await a first league win this season and face an almighty task to get one in Glasgow. Dundee were one of the teams Celtic beat earlier in the season, but narrowly. Since then, in the Premiership, Steven Pressley's side have taken big strides with 2-0 wins over Aberdeen at home and away to city rivals Dundee United, though a cup loss to Aberdeen was sandwiched in between.
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