Six of Celtic's upcoming seven fixtures are away from home.
With the Europa League behind them, Celtic now face a season-defining fortnight.
Come mid-March, they could be motoring in the league with the momentum on their side and into the Scottish Cup last four.
Alternatively, they could be still struggling to retain the championship and facing the prospect of a trophyless campaign.
The initial challenge is Ibrox on Sunday for a massive league encounter, with Celtic behind Rangers by two points having played one match less, with Hearts six clear of the champions.
Then it is a midweek trip to Aberdeen, before heading back to Ibrox in the Scottish Cup last eight and then hosting in-form and formidable Motherwell.
Six of their following seven fixtures are on the road compared to Celtic Park. This much-maligned Celtic group is set to be stress-tested after a chaotic first two-thirds of the season.
"There will be a lot of twists and turns," commented a former Celtic defender. "It wouldn't shock me if the league is decided on the final day. But they will have to do it over the coming handful of games. You have to be utterly consistent, or else they will not win the trophies."
Manager Faces Selection 'Conundrum'
Despite the 1-0 win over Stuttgart being ultimately irrelevant in Celtic's quest to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League, it could yet prove important.
The manager rotated a large number of his starting line-up and some of the squad members put in eye-catching displays to claim the club's maiden win in Germany.
Luke McCowan calmly slotted the winner after just 28 seconds and played positively, while in the defence, several defenders stood out in a gutsy display.
Murray in particular made his case to start next to Liam Scales. A superb block stood out and he was confident when dealing with set-pieces.
But the most discussed performance was delivered by second-choice goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo as he played his part in a long-awaited shutout in six matches.
The established goalkeeper has been under heavy criticism after a string of mistakes. The 26-year-old was called upon and made several crucial stops, in a display labeled "perfect" by a former Celtic midfielder.
A former Celtic goalkeeper is of the opinion Sinisalo performed well enough to start against Rangers on Sunday.
"He had some excellent saves and looked composed when he had the ball and had good anticipation," he said. "The manager has a tough call to make at the weekend. Based on that showing, I would be giving him the nod. Give him a run in the team now."
The Celtic manager conceded that a number of individuals have given him "food for thought".
"[Sinisalo] played brilliantly in the game, really well. That's the name all round the dressing room," the manager commented. "He's got plenty of talent."
Viljami Sinisalo staked his claim to start against Rangers on Sunday.
'Critical' Rangers Test Awaits
The additional positive of Celtic's win was that they demonstrated they can grind out a victory.
Over the years, Celtic have arrived and naturally looked to control possession from start to finish against every Scottish rival.
But this more fragile side had looked increasingly vulnerable this year, regularly letting in more than one goal per game.
Having not won at Ibrox in their last four visits and considering Rangers have won their past 10 home matches, a demonstration of toughness in Germany was well-timed.
Might Celtic take a slightly more pragmatic approach? At this moment, it is solely concerning winning.
"You don't have to have most of the ball to win the game," noted an analyst. "You've got to put in the effort, be solid at the back, get a slice of fortune and have a reliable shot-stopper."
"Celtic have struggled for form this season, but they are hanging in there [in the league]. They retain a chance, with a match to spare. The players will pick up great confidence from tonight - the weekend will be a critical one."
