Celtic team must have Rangers in mind but duo cannot be rested with one man wrapped in cotton wool

"They are not going to postpone it," was Martin O'Neill's telling response when this point was made in the aftermath of that sobering loss at Celtic Park last Thursday. With the game falling three days before a crucial Old Firm clash against Rangers at Ibrox, he may wish that option was on the table.

Overturning a three-goal first leg deficit in European competition is a feat rarely achieved. It has only happened once in the history of the Europa League (since rebranding from the Uefa Cup in 2009) when Valencia lost the first leg of their quarter-final 3-0 away to Basel and won 5-0 after extra-time in the return at the Mestalla in 2014.

For a struggling Celtic side, still reeling from a first home defeat to Hibs in 16 years at the weekend, travelling to the team sitting fourth in the German Bundesliga, it feels very much like mission impossible.

That will almost certainly be reflected in O'Neill's team selection at the Neckarstadion on Thursday night with one eye - or perhaps even both - likely to be on the Sunday's Premiership trip to Ibrox.

Celtic could be nine points behind Hearts by then if the league leaders beat Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Saturday. Defeat to Rangers would then all but end Celtic’s hope of retaining the trophy they have lifted for 13 of the last 14 years.

O’Neill confirmed that everybody available except defender Julian Araujo had travelled and refuted the notion that he would play a "weakened" team. But changes are expected.

“A weakened side?” he responded. "We’ve got very, very decent players here at the football club. All players, I think, in the squad have all played in the first team.

“Whatever side we put out won’t be a weakened team because the players are capable of playing. There’s been competition for places since I’ve been here, certainly before Christmas.

“Since then, we’ve added Tomas (Cvancara) and a few others to the squad. So there’s good competition for places.”

O'Neill will be acutely aware of the balance that needs to be struck if his team are to avoid being on the wrong end of another hefty scoreline. Pride, if not a realistic shot at progression, is still at stake.

At least one change from the side that lost to Hibs will be enforced. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is not in the European squad so cannot play. The same applies to on-loan Brentford defender Benjamin Arthur, who came off the bench to make his Celtic debut on Sunday. Joel Mvuka, who has performed a vanishing act since his 45-minute appearance against Dundee in the Scottish Cup after joining on loan from Wolfsburg on deadline day, is also ineligible.

The first name on the team sheet will tell you a lot about O'Neill's mindset. He has stuck with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel through the Danish international's recent form dip but the 39-year-old could benefit from a rest ahead of the Old Firm. It would also be an opportunity to provide back-up Viljami Sinisalo with his first taste of European football. Perhaps a good performance from the Finn could even give O'Neill food for thought for the derby - and the rest of the title run-in.

Anthony Ralston appears to have been relegated to third choice right-back since the January arrival of Araujo with Colby Donovan likely to get the nod to replace the absent Mexican.

Auston Trusty is suspended for the trip to Ibrox after the appeal against his red card in the 2-1 defeat to Hibs was thrown out by the Scottish FA. The American would be as well playing in Stuttgart then with Marcelo Sarrachi likely to take the place of Kieran Tierney at left-back.

Liam Scales and Callum McGregor are unlikely to be rested. McGregor wasn't even afforded a break for the Scottish Cup tie against part-timers Auchinleck Talbot last month. Another black mark against the Celtic recruitment is that the skipper must seemingly play every match in order for the team to function.

Sticking with Scales will also allow O'Neill to go with a centre-half pairing who have performed well on the road in Europe this season in an attempt to keep the back door shut.

It would be no surprise, however, to see the likes of Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo, James Forrest and Junior Adamu handed starts, while Daizen Maeda could come back in after being benched against Hibs.

One player who ought to be wrapped in cotton wool is top scorer Benjamin Nygren. Celtic can ill-afford to have their main goal threat running on fumes against Rangers.

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