Celtic face Benfica and Celta Vigo in Europa League tests after returning to form

Stern European tests await

Sunday's 2-0 win at Motherwell returned Celtic to the Scottish Premiership summit, but Martin O'Neill knows the real measure of his side will come in the days ahead. The manager's "let's see what Thursday brings" pointed directly to a Europa League clash with Portuguese giants Benfica.

After the Benfica encounter, Celtic host Hearts before facing Celta Vigo in another stiff Europa League test. The Hearts fixture carries its own subplot: Benfica beat Hearts 7-2 on aggregate in European qualifiers earlier this term, underlining the calibre of opponent Celtic are about to face.

O'Neill was not overly concerned by his side's profligacy at Fir Park — Motherwell's Alex Paulsen made 12 saves — insisting the performance and energy were the key takeaways. Whether that momentum carries into back-to-back European assignments will shape the mood around a club that has endured a turbulent early campaign.