Martin O’Neill Explains Haissem Hassan's Omission in Celtic's Loss

Martin O’Neill has revealed that an unexpected overnight issue lay behind his decision to leave Haissem Hassan out of Celtic’s starting XI in the 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

The winger’s omission raised eyebrows before the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. Hassan had been one of Celtic’s brightest performers in midweek, tormenting St Johnstone and supplying the cross for Mika Baur’s winner in a 1-0 victory. He even had a goal of his own chalked off in controversial fashion, a moment that only underlined his growing influence.

So when the teams were announced at Ibrox and Sebastian Tounekti got the nod instead, the surprise was immediate. Hassan, in form and seemingly full of confidence, was on the bench for the biggest fixture of Celtic’s season so far.

After the game, O’Neill explained that the call was not tactical, but physical.

“Young Hassan had an overnight problem, and he didn't get much sleep in all honesty,” the Celtic manager said, speaking via the Scottish Sun. “So it was just a matter of not starting him because of that. That's the reason, really.”

The decision had already been put to him before kick-off, when Hassan’s absence from the line-up fed into the pre-derby debate. Then, O’Neill hinted that the nature of the occasion had also played a part in his thinking.

“Yeah, I think that he will be on the field of play without doubt,” he replied when asked about the winger’s role. “I think sometimes maybe just have a little look at the fixture itself, you know, the intensity of all of those particular things.”

The message was clear. In O’Neill’s eyes, this was not a demotion for a player in form, but a judgment call shaped by a sleepless night and the ferocity of an Ibrox derby.

Celtic, beaten 3-0 and knocked out of the League Cup, will now look to Hassan to rediscover his spark once he is fully rested. After his impact against St Johnstone, and with O’Neill adamant he will “be on the field of play,” the question is not if he returns to the starting side, but how quickly he can help change the direction of their season.