Celtic have a busy schedule on the horizon between now and the end of the season as they aim to win a domestic double.
The Bhoys sit at the top of the Scottish Premiership by a point heading into their final eight league matches; meanwhile, Rangers sit in second, having played a game less than Brendan Rodgers’ men.
Of course, the Scottish Cup trophy is also within reach for the Hoops, who take on Aberdeen at Hampden on April 21st for a place in the final at the national stadium.
Once all is said and done, the squad will presumably depart for an end-of-season break, or jet off to represent their respective nations in the summer international window before reporting back to Lennoxtown.
Earlier this week, news broke that Celtic will take part in a three-match tour of the United States set across three different locations as we prepare to take on DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
On July 20th, Rodgers and company go up against DC United at Audi Field, Washington DC, ahead of travelling to face Manchester City three days later at Kenan Stadium, North Carolina.
Finishing the trip, Celtic journey to the iconic Notre Dame Stadium to go head-to-head with Chelsea in South Bend, Indiana, giving our boss the chance to take on a club he spent two years at before commencing his senior managerial career.
Alan Thompson believes Celtic’s US tour is a ‘great opportunity’
Being able to ply your trade against elite professionals is the goal of every footballer, and our squad will surely relish the chance to take on the likes of Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva and Thiago Silva among others once July rolls around.
Former Celtic man Alan Thompson has been discussing his own experiences touring the United States with his old side, signalling his belief that the Bhoys should relish the chance to face some ‘top players’ in pre-season.
He stated [Daily Record]: “It looks like Brendan Rodgers has the same idea this summer. Chelsea will be a great test for Celtic. And Manchester City, wow. Listen, these are great games for the players. They want to be playing at the highest level.
“No disrespect, but they are playing week in and week out in Scotland, but here they get a chance to go up against some of the best players in the world. If that was me, I’d be buzzing. Not just Haaland but they have top players from back to front. I love watching them. It’s a great opportunity for the Celtic lads.”
Manchester City could well win a record-breaking fourth straight Premier League title this year and are definitely the hardest opponent we will face Stateside.
Nevertheless, there are few better ways to prepare for a season than taking on arguably the world’s best side. For some of our younger stars, the chance to have a taste of playing against the elite may be vital in their career development.
Either way, an exciting summer is in store for Celtic; however, we will only worry about that once this campaign is settled on the pitch.