Ross Pilcher

LASK captain Sascha Horvath described the 3-0 Champions League play-off defeat to Celtic at Parkhead as bitter and undeservedly heavy. He believes LASK should have scored and says the team must defend more tightly and finish its chances in the second leg in Linz. Despite Celtic's strong advantage, Horvath insists LASK will pursue an unlikely comeback, arguing that if Celtic scored three at home, LASK can do the same.

James Penrice made a goalscoring Rangers debut in a 5-1 Premier Sports Cup win over St Mirren after joining on loan from AEK Athens. With Tuur Rommens expected to miss six weeks through injury, former Rangers full-back Alan Hutton said Penrice already appears to offer more quality than the Belgian. Penrice’s strong start could make it difficult for Rommens to regain his place when fit, provided the new signing maintains his form.

Sebastien Pocognoli has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Steve Clarke as Scotland manager after impressing Scottish Football Association executives Ian Maxwell and Craig Mulholland in interviews. The former Belgium international recently guided Tony Bloom-backed Union Saint-Gilloise to its first Belgian top-flight title in 90 years. Clarke left after Scotland's disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign, and Pocognoli's status as a free agent could allow him to take charge before the next Nations League campaign begins in Slovenia.

Celtic have submitted a 25-man squad for their Champions League playoff against Austrian side LASK. Arne Engels is included despite undergoing a medical ahead of a reported £22 million move to West Ham United, while injured defender Alistair Johnston misses out. All four summer signings—Kasper Hogh, Mika Baur, Haissem Hassan and Camilo Duran—are included.

Former Celtic coach Peter Grant has responded to Scott Brown’s criticism of him during Tony Mowbray’s tenure at the club. Brown previously said he had no time for Grant, described him as lacking personality and suggested he would have left Celtic had Mowbray and Grant remained. Grant said he was unconcerned, acknowledged having faced criticism throughout his career and said they should move on.

Celtic began their Scottish Premiership title defence with a 1–0 win over Dundee at Celtic Park. Benjamin Nygren scored seven minutes into the second half from a precise Kieran Tierney cross, while debutant Kasper Hogh missed several chances to add to the lead. Dundee remained competitive and nearly equalised, but Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo made a late save and Callum McGregor hit the post. Martin O'Neill is now expected to hold transfer talks with Michael Nicholson before Celtic's Champions League play-off against LASK.

Rangers have named Nico Raskin in their 25-man squad for the Europa League third qualifying-round tie against Jagiellonia Białystok, prompting speculation that a summer transfer is not imminent. Raskin has been linked with a possible £17 million move to Villarreal or a transfer to AS Roma after impressing for Belgium, although he has not yet returned to training following international duty. John Souttar was omitted despite Rangers’ shortage of centre-backs and Ben Godfrey’s hamstring injury, increasing expectations that Souttar will leave amid interest from Swansea City, Sheffield United and Leicester City.

Ben Godfrey will miss approximately four weeks after scans confirmed a hamstring injury sustained during Rangers’ Premiership opener against Dundee United. The absence rules him out of Rangers’ upcoming European and Premier Sports Cup fixtures, prompting manager Derek McInnes to intensify his search for another centre-back. Olwethu Makhanya and Dujon Sterling are potential short-term defensive options, while John Souttar’s possible departure may be delayed despite interest from Sheffield United, Swansea City and Leicester City.

Motherwell began their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 2–1 win over Hibernian at Easter Road. Lukas Fadinger opened the scoring, Martin Boyle equalised from the penalty spot, and Ibrahim Said struck the 85th-minute winner on the counterattack. Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson praised his newly assembled team’s spirit and resilience, while admitting he was focused on tactical discussions and did not see the full build-up to the winning goal. Hibernian manager David Gray criticised his side’s decision-making and called the defending for Motherwell’s second goal naive. Both teams next face Conference League qualifying matches.

Kris Boyd believes Hearts should not be judged solely on their 6-0 aggregate Champions League qualifying loss to Sturm Graz. Despite losing manager Derek McInnes and making major squad and tactical changes under Wouter Vrancken, Boyd argues that Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics provide a strong foundation for sustained success. He says Hearts could remain a force in Scotland and should not be ruled out of challenging Celtic and Rangers for the title this season.

Kenny Miller says Rangers must overhaul their recruitment and sign players with stronger character after a disappointing third-place finish behind Celtic and Hearts. He believes James Tavernier’s departure creates a major gap and argues that Rangers need players capable of handling the club’s expectations and supporting teammates under pressure. Miller contrasts Rangers’ reported hit rate of roughly one successful signing in three with Hearts’ highly effective recruitment under Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics, predicting another busy transfer window for all three Scottish title challengers.

Celtic will enter Monday’s Champions League playoff draw as a seeded team after winning the Scottish Premiership and avoiding the earlier qualifying rounds. Potential opponents include Viking Stavanger, LASK Linz, AEK Athens and either NK Celje or Ararat-Armenia, while a rematch with Kairat Almaty remains possible if the Kazakh side progresses. Celtic were eliminated by Kairat on penalties last season and subsequently dropped into the Europa League.

Hearts host Sturm Graz in the second leg of their Champions League second-round qualifier on Tuesday, July 28, trailing 4-0 after conceding three second-half goals in Austria. The match will not be shown on television but can be streamed on a pay-per-view basis through Hearts TV for £12.99. The game is expected to be goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow’s final Hearts appearance before his move to Mainz 05, with Beau Reus set to take over. Hearts are likely to drop into the Europa League qualifiers, where Benfica could potentially be among their opponents.

Former Rangers striker Robbie Ure has scored 20 goals in 19 matches for IK Sirius, leading the European Golden Boot race after scoring in a 4-1 win over IFK Göteborg. Sirius sit 11 points clear at the top of Sweden's Allsvenskan, while clubs including Lyon, Hoffenheim and Trabzonspor are reportedly monitoring the 22-year-old, whose asking price is at least £8.5 million. Ure is eligible to represent Scotland or Ukraine and says he wants to play for Scotland, although he is not rushing the decision.

Celtic drew 2-2 with AC Milan at Celtic Park in an entertaining pre-season friendly. Celtic took a 2-0 lead through Camilo Duran, who capitalised on a defensive error before assisting James Forrest, but AC Milan recovered after half-time through two Francesco Camarda goals, one from the penalty spot and one assisted by Samuel Chukwueze. The match gave Martin O'Neill a positive final preparation exercise ahead of Celtic's Premiership title defence, while the club also moved closer to signing Bodø/Glimt striker Kasper Høgh in a reported club-record deal worth more than £11 million.

The Premier Sports Cup last-16 draw will take place on Sunday, July 26, after St Mirren’s group-stage match against Dunfermline, with the draw expected around 5pm. It will be broadcast on Premier Sports 1 and streamed on the Premier Sports Player. Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Motherwell and Hibernian will join the competition at this stage as seeded teams alongside the three best-performing group winners. The last-16 matches are scheduled for the weekend of August 15–16.

Derek McInnes received a four‑game touchline ban for comments criticising the VAR‑awarded Celtic penalty against Motherwell that impacted the Scottish Premiership title race. His remarks were deemed a breach of SFA rule 72, which prohibits publicly questioning officials’ competence or bias. The ruling covers three Rangers matches with another game suspended. Elliott Watt was also sanctioned for post‑match comments, receiving a four‑match ban and contributing to a £5000 fine for Motherwell.

Sturm Graz overwhelmed Hearts with a dominant second‑half surge, scoring three goals in nine minutes and securing a 4‑0 first‑leg victory that leaves the Scottish side’s Champions League hopes in jeopardy. Jurgen Heil and Luca Weinhandl highlighted tactical adjustments at halftime and strong home support as key factors in the turnaround. Hearts are now likely to drop into a potential Europa League tie with Benfica unless they can produce an unlikely comeback at Tynecastle.

Celtic are in advanced talks with SC Paderborn over a £4 million deal for 22‑year‑old midfielder Mika Baur, a versatile Germany youth international with Malagasy heritage and the son of former handball star Markus Baur. The move is viewed as the first major step toward strengthening Celtic’s midfield amid uncertainty surrounding Callum McGregor and expected departures elsewhere. Baur’s career path spans RW Salem, Radolfzell, Stuttgart, SC Freiburg and Dynamo Dresden before establishing himself at Paderborn, attracting interest from several Bundesliga clubs. His transfer is being brokered by Christian Nerlinger, who also facilitated Nicolas Kuhn’s recent move to Celtic.

Hearts begin their Champions League qualifying campaign against Sturm Graz with new manager Wouter Vrancken introducing recent signings Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Calvin Miller to the starting lineup. Harry Milne captains the team in Craig Halkett’s absence, while striker Amadou Ba-Sy is added to the squad after scoring twice in a recent friendly. Sturm Graz captain Jon Stankovic expects a challenging match, drawing comparisons to previous encounters with Celtic and Rangers. Hearts aim to secure a result that keeps them in contention for progression, with potential ties against Fenerbahce or Gornik Zabrze ahead and Europa League group-stage football guaranteed if they advance beyond this round.

Rangers may cite a previous unpunished incident involving former Alloa manager Peter Grant to support Derek McInnes as he faces an SFA disciplinary hearing for calling a Celtic penalty decision “disgusting.” McInnes made the remark after a stoppage‑time penalty influenced the Premiership title race, and he could face a touchline ban similar to the four‑match suspension given to Elliott Watt for social‑media criticism of VAR. Grant’s 2021 comments describing multiple refereeing decisions as “disgusting” went unpunished, potentially providing a precedent for McInnes' defence.

Hearts added Amadou Ba-Sy to their Champions League qualifying squad after his recovery from illness and an impressive debut in a win over Rayo Vallecano. Manager Wouter Vrancken made the late change at the expense of Rogers Mato, while several other recent signings and goalkeeper Beau Reus were omitted, with the club still awaiting international clearance. The team travels to Austria for the first leg against Sturm Graz.

Ryan Fox became the first New Zealand golfer since 1963 to win The Open Championship, finishing at ten under par at Royal Birkdale. Americans Cameron Young and Sam Burns placed just behind him, while Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre ended at two under and received a conduct warning for an on-course incident. Fox secured the title with a decisive birdie putt, drawing a loud celebration from the crowd.

Rangers closed their training camp in Spain with a 2-2 draw against Johor Darul Ta'zim after substitute Tochi Chukwuani scored twice to overturn a two-goal deficit in a pre-season friendly. Derek McInnes used the match to field several new signings and rotate the squad ahead of upcoming friendlies against St Etienne and West Ham United and the start of the Premiership season alongside Europa League qualifying fixtures.

Louis Oosthuizen has withdrawn from the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale due to a back injury, with Aldrich Potgieter replacing him as first alternate. The former champion will also miss the upcoming LIV Golf event in Rocester, stating he will focus on recovery before returning to competition. He expressed disappointment and gratitude for support while pledging backing for his LIV team, the Southern Guards.

Ken Bates, former Chelsea chairman, has died at 94 at his home in Monte Carlo. During 22 years at the club he oversaw major successes including promotion and multiple cup wins before selling to Roman Abramovich in 2003. He later owned Leeds United and previously held roles with Oldham Athletic, Wigan Athletic and Partick Thistle. Chelsea paid tribute, praising his determination and leadership while offering condolences to his family.

Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken plans to add more pre-season friendlies to prepare his squad for their Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz, balancing the need for match fitness with managing player minutes. He experimented with players in unfamiliar positions during a training camp in Spain but sees Oisin McEntee and Yan Dhanda as midfield options moving forward. Vrancken dismissed rumours linking goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow with a move back to Germany, expecting him to remain at the club.

Allan McGregor returns to Rangers as lead goalkeeping coach under new manager Derek McInnes, joining alongside Paul Sheerin and Alan Archibald. McGregor, previously part of the coaching setup during Barry Ferguson’s interim spell, brings extensive experience from his long playing career. He is set to work closely with new first-choice goalkeeper Ivor Pandur following Jack Butland’s departure. Both McGregor and McInnes emphasise the club’s high standards and the value of McGregor’s winning mentality in preparations for the upcoming season.

High temperatures above 30C are expected to trigger Wimbledon’s heat rule during the tournament’s second week, potentially affecting upcoming matches. Organisers rely on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index to determine pauses in play when conditions exceed 30.1C. British player Arthur Fery is set to face Italian world number 10 Flavio Cobolli in a centre court quarter-final scheduled for mid-afternoon.

Rafa Benitez expressed openness to becoming Scotland's next manager after Steve Clarke’s departure following the team’s World Cup exit. He praised Scotland’s efforts at the tournament, saying they achieved as much as possible, and indicated interest in international management. Several other coaches, including Davie Moyes, John McGlynn, Alex Neil, Steven Naismith and Roberto Martinez, are also considered potential candidates for the role.

Hellas Verona have set a £13 million valuation on striker Kieron Bowie to fend off interest from Serie A clubs including Bologna, Cagliari and Sassuolo, as well as Celtic. Manager Marco Baroni has urged the club not to sell after Bowie impressed in Serie A with goals against top teams. Verona hope the high price tag will discourage bids following their relegation to Serie B.

Martin O’Neill confirmed that striker Camilo Duran is set for a medical before joining Celtic’s training camp in Portugal, with the deal potentially rising to £6 million. He emphasized the need for further signings to avoid the team stagnating after relying on a late-season surge last year. O’Neill said additional transfer efforts are underway and noted that having a full pre-season will allow him to implement plans unavailable during his previous short caretaker stints.