Key Takeaways
- Some Hibernian supporters would prefer defeat against Celtic if it prevents city rivals Heart of Midlothian from winning the Scottish Premiership title.
- Hibernian manager David Gray insists his players will fight for victory to maintain their slim hopes of securing guaranteed European football.
- Celtic can move level on points with league leaders Hearts with a win at Easter Road on Sunday.
Hibernian will host Celtic this Sunday at Easter Road in a fixture that creates a strange conflict for the home supporters. Some fans are facing a difficult question. Would they accept their team losing if it stopped their bitter city rivals from becoming champions?
The Scottish Premiership clash presents a battle between professional duty and passionate loyalty. Hibernian need points to catch Motherwell for fourth place. This position brings guaranteed European football next season. However, Celtic sit three points behind league leaders Heart of Midlothian. A Celtic defeat would help Hearts move closer to their first top-flight title since 1960.
This situation is similar to an incident in the English Premier League in May 2024. Then, Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou criticised some fans who wanted his team to lose against Manchester City. Those fans wanted to stop Arsenal from winning the title.
David Gray manages Hibernian. He was born in Edinburgh. He understands the intense hatred between Hibernian and Hearts. But he says his job is simple.
“It is not awkward for me,” Gray told Sky Sports News. “We are professionals. We must try to win every match.”
He continued: “I hear what the fans are saying. I grew up in this city. But we can still finish fourth. We need points to catch Motherwell. That is what matters to us.”
Not every fan agrees with the manager. Euan Wilson is a Hibernian supporter. He speaks on the Down the Slope podcast. He says the rivalry is too strong to ignore.
“Through gritted teeth, I almost hope we lose,” Wilson admitted. “If that stops Hearts from winning the league, I can accept it. The players will try to win because that is their job. But for fans, stopping Hearts is more important than fourth place. We are six points behind Motherwell with only four games left anyway.”
Martin O’Neill is the Celtic manager. He has worked in Scottish football before. He knows about fierce city rivalries. But he says his players only care about victory.
“I had not really thought about this problem,” O’Neill said. “I understand why Hibs fans feel this way. But our team and coaches only want to win. That thought would not enter their heads.”
Celtic can move level with Hearts at the top of the table with a win this weekend. Hearts play Rangers the following day. Celtic have changed manager three times this season. Despite this chaos, they can still win their 14th championship in 15 years.
O’Neill also praised Celtic fans for their recent support. He spoke about the previous match against Falkirk.
“The crowd was loud and fantastic,” he said. “Everyone was pulling together. The players felt this energy. It reminded me of old times. This support helps the team very much.”
The match kicks off at 11:00 AM on Sunday. Sky Sports will broadcast the game live.