Celtic are set to face Hibernian in the second round of the Scottish League Cup on Sunday with hopes of redeeming last season’s early exit at the hands of Kilmarnock. Brendan Rodgers is determined to reclaim the League Cup title and is expected to field a strong lineup at Celtic Park.
Despite the importance of the match, Rodgers is likely to make a few changes to keep the team fresh and give valuable game time to key players. New signing Viljami Sinisalo could potentially make his debut as the cup goalkeeper, while Alistair Johnston’s minutes will be managed due to a busy summer.
The defensive line is set to remain stable with Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, and Greg Taylor expected to start. In midfield, Paulo Bernardo could see more action alongside Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley, with Reo Hatate as an impact substitute.
Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah are also in line for minutes as they recover from injury, while Nicolas Kuhn hopes to continue his impressive form. Kyogo Furuhashi’s availability is uncertain, giving Idah a chance to start up front.
The predicted XI for the match includes: Sinisalo, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, McGregor, Bernardo, O’Riley, Kuhn, Maeda, Idah. The team is in a much stronger position compared to last season and fans are optimistic for a successful run in the competition.
