Celtic have missed a crucial opportunity to narrow the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership after their scheduled fixture against Aberdeen was postponed this evening due to severe weather conditions. The match was called off following a pitch inspection, with Dundee's home game against Motherwell also delayed as unprecedented rainfall continues to affect Scottish football.
Pitch Deemed Unsafe for Play
Fourth official Greg Souter made the decision to postpone the Celtic versus Aberdeen clash after determining that the playing surface at Pittodrie Stadium was unfit for competitive action. The official cited specific concerns about an area within the penalty box where the ground had become dangerously soft and unstable.
"There was an area of concern raised about the bottom end within the penalty area," Souter explained to Sky Sports. "I've had a look at it, there's extremely soft mud, it's moving when you put studs in it and there's concern for player safety when they're running in it that their studs will just slip. The ball's not bouncing in that area either. Player safety is paramount and that's not something I could ensure."
Significant Title Implications
The postponement represents a significant setback for Celtic's championship aspirations. The Scottish champions were aiming to secure three vital points that would have moved them within striking distance of league leaders Hearts, who suffered a 1-0 defeat against St Mirren in their previous outing.
Instead, Celtic must now wait for their next league opportunity, which comes next Wednesday when they host Livingston at Celtic Park. This delay means Rangers could potentially capitalise on the situation when they face Kilmarnock at Ibrox this evening, with the possibility of moving level on points with Celtic in the standings.
Wettest January Since 2016
The decision to postpone both matches comes amid exceptionally wet conditions across Scotland. Meteorological reports indicate that Aberdeenshire has experienced its wettest January since 2016, with Sky Sports noting that the region has recorded approximately 124mm of rainfall during the month.
This persistent precipitation has created challenging ground conditions across multiple football venues, with Dundee's match against Motherwell also falling victim to the weather. The Dens Park club released a statement confirming their fixture had been called off "due to unprecedented rainfall," with a precautionary inspection conducted shortly before 4pm GMT leading to the inevitable postponement.
Fixture Rearrangement Details Pending
Neither the Celtic-Aberdeen nor Dundee-Motherwell matches have been rescheduled at this stage, though both clubs have indicated that new dates will be announced in due course. Aberdeen confirmed via their official social media channels that "details for the re-arranged match will be published in due course," while Dundee stated that "details of the rearranged fixture will be made available as soon as possible."
Despite these postponements, three Scottish Premiership matches are still scheduled to proceed this evening, with the league programme set to pause this weekend for the latest round of Scottish Cup fixtures. This break in league action adds further significance to the postponed matches, as teams jostle for position ahead of the season's crucial final stages.
