Celtic have been tipped to claim their fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title with ease this season, despite the strong challenge posed by a resurgent Aberdeen.
Former Celtic favourite Stylian Petrov believes Brendan Rodgers’ side remain untouchable, even as Aberdeen maintain pace with the champions.
Currently level on points after 11 matches, Celtic hold the edge over Aberdeen on goal difference.
The Dons, managed by Jimmy Thelin, earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Celtic Park in October, underlining their ability to compete with the league’s dominant force.
However, Petrov is convinced that Aberdeen cannot sustain their challenge over the long haul.
Reflecting on Celtic’s emphatic 6-0 victory over Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup, Petrov pointed to the reigning champions’ ability to step up when required as evidence of their superiority.
“In the first league game [2-2 draw at Celtic Park] I think that Celtic felt a little bit surprised with the way that Aberdeen were set up,” Petrov said.
“Celtic were a little bit caught off guard, but after that they felt the pressure and that someone [Aberdeen] was breathing down their necks. Then you saw what happened in the cup game. They concentrated, put in a great performance and this is what Celtic is all about.
“As soon as they feel that somebody is getting close to them, they just go to the next gear and when that happens Celtic are untouchable. They’re doing incredibly well. Top of the league and doing well in the Champions League.”
Petrov also praised the club’s proactive approach to recruitment, which he sees as key to their continued dominance.
“Celtic are looking for players all the time, too. They’re looking at homegrown players, and players from abroad. The scouting system is working non-stop. Even if they’ve got a very strong team, they are still looking to add more players that they can develop and make the team even stronger.”
While Petrov is confident in Celtic’s ability to maintain their supremacy, he is less optimistic about their Old Firm rivals, Rangers, who he believes face challenges from all sides.
Speaking to Gambling.com, he remarked: “Rangers have to worry about everyone at the moment, it seems like.
“Aberdeen are showing consistency. I don’t know how much depth they’ve got in the team and how long they can go on this run, because to stay in those positions you have to sustain form and good results for a long period of time. Celtic and Rangers have been there for many, many years, so they know how to deal with the pressure.
“It’s something new for Aberdeen, but they’re definitely showing that Celtic and Rangers can be pushed from the outside.”
