O’Neill must now bench a key Celtic player

Another year, another season of disappointment in Europe, with Scottish champions Celtic – barring anything serious in the second leg – looking for a quick exit from the Europa League.

Martin O’Neill has steadied the ship in his two spells in charge in 2025/26, losing just twice in all competitions, although Thursday’s defeat to Stuttgart was arguably the highlight of his time in charge, with the Hoops being brutally exposed by their best outfit.

Defensively, the home side were found lacking at Parkhead, with Kasper Schmeichel’s performance a major talking point after the game.

After a strong, but underwhelming, first season in Glasgow, the 39-year-old has endured a rapid decline this time around, and the midweek controversy will be the last straw.

For all the frustration surrounding the Dane, however, it would be wrong to suggest that he is the only player in the firing line going into Sunday’s meeting with Hibernian.

Changes to be made by O’Neill when Celtic face Hibs

If there will be any light from what looks like an inevitable Europa League exit, it will be Celtic’s ability to focus their attention on domestic matters, amid a well-established title race.

Last Sunday’s events ensured the Hoops remain within touching distance of leaders Hearts, although the winners’ recent run of stoppage-time glory will not continue.

O’Neill needs to make changes, and quickly, if the Glasgow side are to fire again, with the introduction of Viljami Sinisalo certainly the first obvious change this weekend.

On the goalkeeper front, it may also be time for O’Neill to try out the club’s young “Virgil van Dijk”, Benjamin Arthur, with a deadline day looming appearance following his loan move from Brentford.

The 20-year-old defender remains out on Thursday as he is not part of the Europa League squad, as is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, ensuring the experienced Englishman should be fit and determined to continue this time around.

With two substitute appearances under his belt so far, the 32-year-old looks to be in the starting line-up against Hibs, with neither Reo Hatate nor Paulo Bernardo proving they can replace Arne Engels and Callum McGregor.

Few tweaks and changes are expected in the forward line, although there could be a chance for Yang Hyun-jun to start again, following his impressive showing on Thursday.

That addition will, however, have to come at the expense of another member of O’Neill’s offensive line.

O’Neill should bench the most important player for Celtic vs Hibs

It’s been a season of negatives, in fact, despite looking ahead, Benjamin Nygren continues his impressive goalscoring streak, with his 17th of the season in all competitions during the week.

The one who changed the game against Kilmarnock, Sebastian Tounekti, seems to have got another opportunity on the left, and the early signs were promising for Tomas Cvancara, who has three goals and his assists in the Celtic shirt.

O’Neill’s side need those three to really step up in the coming weeks and months, not least as Daizen Maeda has continued to falter, following another subdued display in midweek.

Since last season’s 33-goal heroics, the Japanese speedster has been a shadow of his former self of late, seemingly unable to shake defensive failures from Parkhead, both in the summer and in January.

Not that this player, 28, has thrown away his tools, as the allegations are directed at his neighbor, Hatate, although he had only eight goals in the whole season, this is not the player we expected in green and white.

Caught on the hour mark as Celtic chased a comeback against Killie, Maeda was replaced again in the same position against Stuttgart, with that man Yang impressing on the right flank.

Perhaps the 28-year-old isn’t comfortable on this side, having done so much damage on the left side last term, although his lack of involvement was telling in midweek, registering 24 touches in total, while losing the ball eight times before being withdrawn.

He failed to register a single shot, key pass or successful interception on the night, while winning only nine of his duels.

More importantly, in terms of how much he improved in playing, Maeda actually ended up regressing, with his improvement reaching 4.6m. In comparison, Yang’s was much taller at 23.5m.

Maeda could be Celtic’s most valuable player at €14m (£12m), according to Transfermarkt, although he is not playing as much as he is at the moment, with the former Yokohama man, like Schmeichel, representing a top-class figure for O’Neill to deal with.

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