Celtic Prepares for Kilmarnock Trip Amid O'Neill's Absence

Martin O'Neill remained absent from Lennoxtown as Celtic completed their final preparations for Sunday’s Premiership trip to Kilmarnock, with the veteran manager still recovering after a brief spell in hospital this week.

Celtic confirmed on Wednesday that the 74-year-old had undergone what the club described as a “small procedure”, and the expectation then was that he would be discharged within 48 hours. The manager has since stayed away from the training ground, keeping his recovery separate from the day‑to‑day rhythm of the squad.

In his place, Shaun Maloney has stepped to the forefront. The former Celtic playmaker has been leading first-team training, flanked by coaches Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus, as the champions look to sharpen up for a tricky visit to Rugby Park.

Maloney will also be the public face of the club in the build-up. He is set to handle media duties, including taking charge of Celtic’s pre-match press conference this afternoon, a role that underlines his growing influence within O’Neill’s backroom team.

Whether O’Neill himself will be back in the technical area on Sunday remains uncertain. His availability for the Kilmarnock fixture is still to be decided, and the sight of the Celtic dugout without its commanding figure would add another layer of intrigue to an already demanding away assignment.

There was, however, a clear lift for players and staff alike on Friday.

Jota, the Portuguese winger whose absence has stretched beyond a year, joined in with the first-team group as he moved into the final phase of his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury. His presence on the grass, back among familiar faces and familiar drills, offered a reminder of the attacking spark Celtic have been missing.

The 25-year-old suffered a cruciate ligament tear at Tannadice in April 2025 and has endured a gruelling road back, punctuated by setbacks that wiped out any chance of a late-season return last term. Each delay pushed his comeback further over the horizon; each staging post in his recovery felt fragile.

Now, at last, there is tangible progress. While there is still no competitive date circled in ink, Jota’s integration into full training hints at a return that could reshape Celtic’s forward options in the months ahead.

With O’Neill’s short-term involvement still in doubt and Jota edging closer to the stage he once lit up, Celtic head to Rugby Park juggling concern and optimism in equal measure.