Updated at 22.55
CELTIC BOUNCED back from their recent double setback with a 5-1 win over Aberdeen to stretch their lead at the top of the William Hill Premiership to 16 points.
Brendan Rodgers’ side suffered a surprise defeat to Hibernian at Easter Road at the weekend after being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich a week ago despite an impressive 1-1 draw in the second leg in Germany.
The Dons missed three good chances in the first half which ended with the home side leading through goals from Daizen Maeda, Jota and Callum McGregor, taking the jeopardy out of the second half.
Celtic substitute Yang Hyun-Jun added a fourth in the 72nd minute before Dons substitute Shayden Morris reduced the deficit in the last minute of normal time but there was time for Maeda to grab his second to complete a convincing victory.
With 10 fixtures remaining, Celtic moved further ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the table and are firmly on course for a domestic treble.
Jimmy Thelin had got Aberdeen back on track with three successive wins in all competitions after a horrendous run of league form but paid dearly for their first-half profligacy albeit they finished the night still in third place, one point ahead of Dundee United who host Hibs on Wednesday.
The fixtures continue to come thick and fast for the Hoops.
Rodgers reshuffled his pack with winger Jota, left-back Jeffrey Schlupp and midfielder Reo Hatate back in the side.
Thelin had asked his team for bravery but that appeared to be missing in the seventh minute as a swift counter-attack ended when Oday Dabbagh, making his first start, somehow failed to get a touch on a pass from Jeppe Okkels as keeper Kasper Schmeichel rushed out to meet him.
Moments later, the Hoops number one passed straight to Dons striker Kevin Nisbet but his shot sped past the far post.
It was two good opportunities spurned and almost inevitably they proved crucial.
Celtic’s first goal in the 24th minute came when Kristers Tobers’ interception of an Arne Engels through ball spun high into the air and when it came down, Maeda was first to react, volleying past hesitant keeper Ross Doohan from six yards.
Six minutes later Jota broke on the counter with pace against a stretched Dons defence and when his pass to Engels was returned he scuffed the ball into the net from 10 yards.
Aberdeen continued to pose problems going forward but missed another chance when Okkels was played in by Dabbagh but mis-hit his shot from 14 yards wide of the target and again the sloppy visitors were made to pay when McGregor curled in a third after getting the break of the ball just on half-time.
Thelin replaced Nisbet and Okkels with Morris and Pape Gueye for the start of the second half and soon Rodgers, with the points secure, brought on Adam Idah, Yang and Luke McCowan for Jota, Nicolas Kuhn and Hatate.
In keeping with Aberdeen’s night, Morris powered his way past Celtic defender Auston Trusty in the 64th minute but with only Schmeichel to beat he screwed his unconvincing effort past the far post.
Again, the visitors suffered when Yang worked a one-two with McCowan inside the Aberdeen box and slipped the ball past Doohan at the near post.
Midfielder Jude Bonnar, 19, came on to make his Celtic debut with 10 minutes remaining before Morris beat Schmeichel at his near post with a powerful drive but Celtic ran back up the pitch and Maeda knocked an Alistair Johnston cross in from close range to finish the game on a high.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid conceded a two-goal lead then fought back from two down to draw 4-4 with Barcelona in a wild Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg thriller.
After Diego Simeone’s side scored twice in the opening six minutes through Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann, Barca raced through the gears in a high-octane performance.
The superb Pedri Gonzalez pulled one back with Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez and Robert Lewandowski going on to score for the Catalan giants.
Marcos Llorente netted for Atletico before Alexander Sorloth struck in the 93rd minute to leave the tie perfectly poised ahead of the second leg at the Metropolitano stadium on April 2.
Hansi Flick left Barca’s top goalscorer Lewandowski out of the starting line-up, with Ferran Torres taking his place in a false nine role.
Simeone picked a strong side despite his side’s extremely tricky fixture list, with this the first of three matches against Barca and a Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid on the horizon.
Atletico took the lead inside the first minute, with Alvarez pouncing at the back post after Griezmann’s cross was flicked on.
Atletico doubled their lead in the sixth minute when Jules Kounde gave the ball away and Alvarez produced a stunning pass to release Griezmann.
The French forward was being pressured by Alejandro Balde but cleverly worked room for a shot, which Wojciech Szczesny got a hand to but could not keep out.
After Atletico’s opening salvo, Barcelona dominated the rest of the first half.
Ferran Torres should have levelled for Barcelona after Raphinha sent him through on goal but his shot was weak and Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso saved easily.
The La Liga leaders hit two goals in two minutes to pull back level, with Kounde setting up Pedri for the first before Cubarsi nodded home from a corner.
Torres spurned another golden chance for Barca’s third, rounding Musso but misfiring under pressure from Clement Lenglet, on loan from the Catalans at Atletico.
Szczesny saved well from Griezmann at the start of the second half, with Barca still largely in control.
Sorloth had a goal disallowed for offside as the visitors sought an equaliser, but instead it was Barca who moved further ahead.
Teenage winger Lamine Yamal created it with a brilliant dribble, blazing past Reinildo Mandava and squaring for substitute Lewandowski to tap home.
Barcelona’s performance merited their lead but Llorente’s 84th-minute strike from the edge of the box opened the door for Sorloth to net late on.
The Norwegian forward grabbed Atletico a last-gasp victory at Barca’s Olympic stadium in December in La Liga and he was in the right place at the right time once more to finish from Samuel Lino’s cut-back.
On Wednesday Real Madrid visit Real Sociedad in the other semi-final first leg.
Additional reporting by AFP
I’d agree with the above, far too much credence put on the Bath win, who are a second tier English side, nearing third tier. We’ve beaten nothing this season really so far, just been consistent enough to keep winning. The toughest games were probably Munster and Cardiff last week to be honest, and we scraped a win over Bath away.
I do think that if we get a home QF and SF in the Aviva we can go back to Twickers, and anything can happen then, but Toulouse would be faves at the moment in my book, they’ve just got everything.
I’m a little worried about our second row options, Leo seems to be slowing and Browne is not really up to the white heat of a big HEC game I think. Today’s selection should be very interesting.
I certainly don’t fear Sarries or Quins though, Quins in particular have nowhere near the experience needed, and Sarries are one paced.
Agree completely! We seem to have forgotten that we have a relatively soft pool this year! To be anything but well in charge at this stage would be a disaster!
My big worry is what happens when we play a team with a serious pack and a good backline (eg Northampton for H1 of Heino Final). Defensively we leaked a lot of scores in that first half! If you were to have thrown some fitness and an out and out 7 into that Northampton team – what would the result have been? Haven’t forgotten what Clermont did to us in the RDS a couple of years ago (except on the scoreboard of course).