Hearts are coming back to Celtic Park, the very ground where their title challenge finally collapsed last season and the place from which they departed after one of the most painful days in their recent football history.

I must admit, there is a part of me that would almost feel sorry for them.

Almost. Losing a league title in those circumstances is hardly pleasant. Football can be a cruel mistress, and I would not wish that particular agony on every club in Scotland.

However, when it comes to Hearts, I am afraid my sympathy has packed its bags, boarded the first train out of Glasgow and disappeared somewhere over the horizon.

Why? Because of their conduct ever since.

Celtic winning the league title is not proof of a criminal offence. Winning it again and again is not evidence of a conspiracy; in fact, it’s pretty strong evidence against one. When you can win title after title you don’t need a conspiracy.

Nor is it a reason to start behaving as though somebody stole your lunch money, confiscated your favourite toy and personally arranged for the sun to stop shining over Edinburgh.

For goodness’ sake, Hearts. Get a grip.

I understand disappointment. I understand heartbreak. I even understand that watching Celtic celebrate another championship must be about as enjoyable for some Hearts supporters as spending an afternoon listening to fingernails scraping down a blackboard.

But there is a difference between being disappointed and refusing to accept reality.

Hearts had their opportunity. They fought for the title, came agonisingly close and ultimately failed to finish the job. That is football. One team wins, another loses, and eventually the losing side has to examine why.

Instead, too much of the conversation around Hearts since then has been about grievance, injustice and what supposedly happened to them.

Apparently Celtic winning another championship cannot simply be Celtic winning another championship. There must be something else.

Shall we apologise for it?

Perhaps Celtic should arrange a special ceremony before kick-off today, invite the Hearts hierarchy onto the pitch and present them with a certificate for their efforts. Or perhaps they could stop whinging and accept that, yes, they really did lose the league. We could even provide complimentary tissues.

I am sure the Celtic Store could find a suitable shade of maroon.

I am being sarcastic, obviously, but the absurdity of this practically writes the jokes for me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Hearts challenging Celtic. In fact, I welcome it. Scottish football needs genuine competition, and Celtic should never become complacent simply because we have enjoyed so much domestic success.

There is something deeply unattractive, however, about turning failure into permanent grievance. If you want to win the league, Hearts, build a team capable of winning it. Recruit intelligently. Improve your performances. Develop your players. Examine the moments where you failed. Learn from them and come back stronger.

You do not get to rewrite the ending simply because you disliked it.

And here comes the bit some Hearts supporters probably will not appreciate, but I this increasingly resembles something we have watched across the city for years.

The inability to accept Celtic’s success without attaching an explanation to it. The endless excuses and lingering bitterness. The conviction that whenever Celtic emerge victorious, there must surely have been something suspicious about the circumstances.

Celtic win again and suddenly everybody is examining the result under a microscope looking for something which will explain why it should not really count.

Perhaps the next step is a royal commission.

“Celtic Win Again. Surely Somebody Must Be Investigated.”

Give me strength.

I am not suggesting Hearts and the Ibrox club are identical. They are not. But this particular mentality, the refusal to accept that Celtic can simply be better on the day or better across the season, is becoming embarrassingly familiar at both clubs.

Hearts should be careful with that. There is a huge difference between being a club determined to challenge the champions and becoming a club which increasingly defines itself through resentment towards them.

I would much rather see Hearts arrive at Celtic Park with confidence, determination and a genuine desire to prove something on the football pitch. That would earn far more respect than another collection of complaints.

Because today they have another opportunity.

And so do Celtic.

Celtic have an opportunity to remind Hearts that Celtic Park is our Paradise, not somewhere visiting teams arrive and expect to leave with something to celebrate.

I want Celtic to play with purpose, aggression, intelligence and that unmistakable champions’ mentality. I want the boys in green and white to make their intentions clear from the opening whistle.

No hesitation. No unnecessary gifts. No allowing Hearts to settle into the match and begin convincing themselves that they are about to write some glorious revenge story.

We need to be ruthless.

If Hearts arrive believing they have unfinished business with Celtic, then let us remind them on the football pitch precisely why the title ended up where it did. Make them work for every ball, every yard and every opportunity.

And yes, I would absolutely love to see Celtic break Hearts’ hearts all over again.

There. I have said it. Some might even consider that cruel.

Hearts have hardly been shy about making their feelings towards Celtic known, so why should I be expected to wrap my hopes for this game in some delicate little package of diplomatic language?

I want a Celtic victory. I want a convincing performance. And if the scoreline is sufficiently painful for our visitors, I promise that I will somehow summon the emotional strength to cope with their disappointment.

Naturally, Celtic have to earn it.

History will not win a tackle. Reputation will not score a goal. My own enthusiastic desire to see Hearts heading back along the M8 miserable will contribute absolutely nothing once the whistle goes.

The players have to do the work. They need to approach this match with the seriousness it deserves because Hearts are dangerous, motivated and good enough to punish Celtic if we are careless.

But that only makes the opportunity better.

I can acknowledge Hearts’ heartbreak last season without pretending that everything we have heard since has been admirable. Those things are not mutually exclusive.

They had a wonderful opportunity to win the league.

They came close. They failed. That is the painful side of football.

The less attractive part comes when disappointment becomes an excuse not to examine your own shortcomings.

So, Hearts can bring their complaints, their conspiracy theories and whatever tissues they have left. Celtic must bring the football.

Let Celtic Park roar. Let the players show them what champions are supposed to look like. Most importantly, let Celtic do what Celtic have to do.

Win. Because if Hearts are returning to the scene of their heartbreak, I can think of no better welcome than another dose of footballing reality.

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