Hearts are back at Celtic Park on Sunday, and there is no pretending this is just another league fixture. The last time they went there in May, their title dream was effectively put to bed, and that sort of scar does not vanish because a new weekend has arrived.
That is why this trip to Glasgow feels bigger than the table and bigger than the usual noise around Celtic Vs Hearts. For Hearts, it is an early credibility test for a title push that Tony Bloom has already backed again this week. For Celtic, it is another chance to steady themselves after a chastening European defeat at Benfica, even if the mood around Parkhead remains complicated.
Wouter Vrancken has said the right thing, and he has said it plainly enough. His players cannot live in the past. They have to move forward, look forward and attack the next challenge. That is the message, and it is the only sensible message. You cannot go into Celtic Park carrying May with you like baggage.
A better Hearts side, but the real examination starts here
There is at least some evidence that Hearts are not walking into this blind. They beat St Mirren 5-0 last weekend, and six of their last seven goals have come in that run. That matters because it suggests momentum, rhythm and a team that is finally starting to look more natural under Vrancken after a difficult introduction to his tenure.
Still, the hard truths remain. Hearts have won only two of their past 11 away league outings, and that sort of record is exactly why Sunday is such a serious examination. Good teams can flatter themselves at home. Title contenders have to prove they can go away from Gorgie and still impose themselves when the temperature rises. This is not the place to hide behind optimism.
And yet there is also a hint of pressure on Celtic too. They are still trying to convince their own supporters after that European setback, which means the game is not simply about whether Hearts can handle the occasion. It is about whether Celtic can use their own ground to reassert control, or whether Hearts can turn a painful memory into a statement of intent.
Only 800 Jambos are expected in Glasgow, which only sharpens the edge of the occasion. They will know what happened in May. So will the players. Vrancken may be right that you cannot live in the past, but football has a habit of forcing teams to revisit it anyway. On Sunday at 15:00 BST, Hearts get that chance again. If they want their title talk to sound serious, this is exactly the sort of afternoon they have to stop feeling sorry for themselves and start answering.
