Celtic have shown they are "best team in the country" and Martindale fully expects them to beat Kairat Almaty on aggregate to make the Champions League proper. He stressed the need to add to his Livingston squad before the end of the window with a right-back the priority.

Celtic have reportedly suffered a fresh blow in their protracted pursuit of long-term target Michel-Ange Balikwisha with a scheduled medical scuppered. The Belgian youth international has been eyed by the Premiership champions over the past three windows but a deal for the winger has proven hard to get over the line with Royal Antwerp driving a hard bargain for a player with only 12 months remaining on his deal.

Celtic and Rangers are reportedly among the teams looking to sign Jamie Vardy on a free transfer. The veteran striker remains without a club after leaving Leicester City at the end of last season. He scored 200 goals in exactly 500 games for the Foxes, establishing himself as a modern-day legend at the King Power Stadium.

The Kazakh side have battled through three rounds of qualifying to set up a Champions League play-off with Celtic.

Scottish giants Celtic FC face FC Kairat of Kazakhstan in their first leg match of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 qualifying play-off tie at Celtic Park, Glasgow on Tuesday. Watch the Celtic vs Kairat football match live tonight.

Celtic are one aggregate victory away from securing a place in the league phase of the Champions League. Kairat of Kazakhstan stand between the Hoops and a seat at Europe’s top table for 2025/26.

Kairat Almaty head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin insists his side won't be intimated by the Celtic Park atmosphere, with the game approaching a 60,000 sell-out. Kazakhstan has only been represented once in the group stage by Astana in 2015-16, and Celtic have previously overcome Shakhter Karagandy and Astana at the same stage.

If a report from SunSport is believed to be true, Jamie Vardy is keen on a reunion with Brendan Rodgers at Celtic after assessing all his options over the past couple of months. The former Leicester City striking ace is available on a Bosman,

Qualifying for the Champions League ramps up as Rangers, Celtic, Fenerbahce and more try to book one of the final seven places

Former Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy has his "heart set" on a move to Celtic and a reunion with Brendan Rodgers as he targets playing on until he is 40. (Sun) Rangers have revived interest in Roma left-back Anass Salah-Eddine, with Spanish side Elche also keen on the 23-year-old. (Il Messaggero via Daily Record)