Callum McGregor feels difficulty of Celtic dominance has been ‘desensitised’

Callum McGregor feels consistently meeting raised expectations should not be underestimated as Celtic get ready to clinch a 13th title in 14 years.

A point against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday would seal a fourth consecutive title and leave Aberdeen in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final in Celtic’s way as they bid for a sixth treble in nine seasons.

Four league defeats in 2025 have led some to question the relative strength of this Celtic team but the destiny of the title has been in little doubt since the autumn and they were never going to maintain the standards of 2024, when they only lost two matches in all competitions.

Celtic captain McGregor feels the price of success has been higher expectations.

“I think it’s desensitised everyone to how actually difficult it is and it just sort of becomes expected, it becomes the norm,” he said. “But the players have to then live with that because it’s the standards that they’ve set.

“The level of player, the level of team that we’ve managed to build here over the last 10 years or so has been a really successful team.

“So every year the expectation is there. It grows and grows and you have to stay with that as a player. It’s a kind of double-edged sword for us because we are the ones that have set that expectation but that’s where you want to be as a footballer. You want to be tested, you want to be playing on the limit all the time and expect to have success.

“So that’s what a big club like Celtic brings and, yeah it’s difficult, but I think the players enjoy it as well.”

Winning a treble and reaching the knockout phase of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years would arguably have surpassed most expectations.

“It’s a really high bar but it’s what the people here pride themselves on every year, is trying to win all the domestic trophies,” McGregor said.

“And then the big thing for everyone on the outside is that we did make progress in Europe. Obviously we got to the knockout stage and gave a really good account of ourselves against a top, top opponent (Bayern Munich).

“Everything about the club is in a good way, everybody feels good about it and, make no mistake, when we come back in the summer then it resets and the expectation is there again to try and be even better.”

Meeting those expectations as captain will allow McGregor to be even more appreciative of success when the title comes.

The 31-year-old, who has won 23 major trophies, said: “When you’re way back at the start and you get the first one, you feel like you’re on top of the mountain. And you keep doing it, keep being successful, it never really fades in that sense.

“But obviously over the period of time I became more and more involved, played bigger roles as the seasons went on, so you feel more responsibility, you feel more expectation on you to be the guy that drives the team forward and tries to make us successful.

“So I guess the only thing that’s changed is your actual level of input in terms of trying to help the team be successful and then when you feel more responsibility I think ultimately it feels better as well when you actually do cross the finish line.”