The Scottish Premiership season kicked off this weekend, with St Johnstone marking their return to the top flight with a 4-3 victory over Kilmarnock. The seven-goal thriller was the standout result of the opening round. Elsewhere, Rangers had a disappointing start, while Celtic began the campaign strongly, according to opening-weekend reports. The results come as Scottish clubs look ahead to European competition, with Rangers, Hearts, Hibernian and Motherwell all scheduled to play on Thursday. BBC Scotland has been analyzing the prospects of the nation's European hopefuls, assessing how their early-season form might carry into continental play. The opening fixtures have given fans and pundits early signals about the competitive balance of the league this season. St Johnstone's win, in particular, signals their intent to establish themselves back among Scotland's top sides after earning promotion. The coming week's European matches will offer a further test for the Scottish clubs involved, as they aim to make an impact beyond domestic competition. With the league only just underway, the performances so far provide an initial glimpse of what may lie ahead for the season, both at home and in Europe.