Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou will bring his side to Celtic Park on Saturday with attention around him that goes beyond the game itself.
11th February 2026; Fir Park, Motherwell, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Motherwell versus Rangers; Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou celebrates with Emmanuel Longelo of Motherwell
Celtic supporters will be far more focused on the three points. The title race remains tight and matches at home now carry real pressure. Celtic Park has often been the place where momentum shifts in the closing months of a season, especially when the crowd senses the momentum, building.
Askou’s Motherwell side have earned respect for how they approach games. They play brave football and try to build attacks rather than simply sit deep. That attitude can make matches open, which usually suits Celtic at home where the pitch is wide and the tempo is high.
His comments in recent days will undoubtedly grab headlines. Brendan Rodgers used a car comparison when discussing the limits of his Celtic squad earlier this season. Askou spoke about building a team in a similar way, though his point was about development rather than excuses.
He said: (Sky Sports), “We haven’t addressed the title hopes, or driving in a very nice, undented car all the way up there.
“We will gladly take some dents here and there to make sure that we develop and build the car that will drive the fastest in the long run.”
For Celtic supporters the message heading into the weekend is straightforward. Get the win. The performance at Ibrox showed the team still has the mentality for these big moments. The Hoops spent long spells defending the box but still came through the cup tie.
8th March 2026; Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish Cup Football, Rangers versus Celtic; Tomas Cvancara of Celtic celebrates with Auston Trusty of Celtic and Liam Scales of Celtic after he scores the penalty during the penalty shoot to win the match for Celtic
Saturday should look different. At Celtic Park the home side usually controls the ball and pushes teams deep into their own half. That pressure tends to create chances, especially when the wingers can stretch the pitch and keep the tempo high.
Askou’s name might keep appearing in talk about Celtic’s future. This weekend is about what happens on the pitch now. When the team walks out at Celtic Park, the crowd will only want one thing from the players in green and white. Three points.
