Celtic retained the Scottish Premiership title with a dramatic late double that shattered Hearts' championship hopes, securing a fifth consecutive league crown. The match, played at Celtic Park, saw the home side snatch victory in the final minutes with a penalty and a subsequent goal, leaving Hearts' title challenge in ruins.
The victory came after a tense season that saw Celtic struggle at times, but the team's resilience was praised by manager Brendan Rodgers, who returned to the club in January after a brief retirement. "At times it looked lost, but in that dressing-room, never ever did they stop believing for one second," Rodgers said, reflecting on the triumph.
Hearts manager Steven Naismith was gracious in defeat, describing Rodgers as deserving of the manager of the season award. "Hearts have been brilliant. And their manager deserves to be manager of the season," Naismith said, adding that he would have said the same even if Hearts had won the title.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor lifted the trophy amid confetti and fireworks, acknowledging the difficult season: "Such a difficult season. So many downs. But the belief in this group is special, I've never seen anything like that before." The team now looks ahead to the cup final next week.
