Cvancara faces stiff competition for Celtic striking spot

Celtic striker Tomas Cvancara has been told he faces stiff competition for the main striking spot for the rest of the season after missing out entirely on Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren.

The 6-2 victory at Hampden over the Buddies saw him not even listed among the substitutes. This is a week on from him starting against the same opposition in the Premiership.

Japanese forward Daizen Maeda started as Celtic’s No 9 and opened the scoring. Kelechi Iheanacho came on as a substitute and netted twice in extra time. Junior Adamu was also preferred to Cvancara on the bench.

The high-scoring cup tie demonstrated the attacking depth available to the manager and the current form of those who stepped up in the Czech forward’s absence.

The 25-year-old Tomas Cvancara joined Celtic on loan in January from German side Borussia Moenchengladbach until the end of the season. However, the player has only scored two goals in 13 appearances for the Glasgow side. 

He faces losing his status as the team’s main striker for the remaining five league matches and the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic next month. 

His modest return since arriving in January has led to questions about his immediate role, especially as Celtic chase success on multiple fronts.

The team is back in action on Saturday at home to Falkirk in the league, and it remains to be seen whether Cvancara will be reinstated into the squad.

The decision to leave him out has highlighted the depth of the attacking options available to the manager. 

Maeda’s performance in the semi-final and Iheanacho’s contribution from the bench show why the competition is so stiff. 

Cvancara’s loan was expected to give him the chance to play regularly and score goals, but his limited output has put his position under review. 

The remaining games are critical for Celtic as they chase trophies in the league and cup. The manager will need to decide if the Czech forward can regain his place through strong training performances or if the other strikers will continue to be favored.

One man who definitely won’t be present for that game against Falkirk is goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, whose season is over due to a major shoulder issue. 

This injury is a significant loss for the team as they enter the final phase of the season.