Excitement is building as Celtic prepare for their final Glasgow Derby match of the season in the form of the Scottish Cup final.
Rangers stand between Brendan Rodgers and a domestic double at Hampden; however, the Irishman will take hope from his sides’ unbeaten Scottish Premiership campaign against Philippe Clement’s outfit.
In four fixtures against their rivals this campaign, Celtic have recorded three victories and a draw at Ibrox despite having no away supporters present at the clash.
Scorelines between both sides haven’t been vast; nevertheless, anyone who has watched the games would be able to identify that Rodgers’ men have been the dominant force for much of the proceedings.
Nevertheless, one-off matches aren’t straightforward and require a steely mentality to navigate, especially when the pressure is on in front of a 50-50 supporter split at the national stadium.
Brendan Rodgers explains Celtic’s Glasgow Derby mantra
Celtic are regularly thrust into the chaos of derby matches; however, fans rarely hear too much insight regarding how the dressing room collectively approach such occasions.
Speaking live on talkSPORT earlier today, Celtic boss Rodgers shed some light on their internal mindstate before facing Rangers, citing their ability to remain calm in the circumstances as a key avenue to come out on top against their arch rivals.
Rodgers explained: “Absolutely, I think that’s the key message in the build-up to these games (calmness). Our discipline in the games has been very, very good because they are so tense.
“There’s so much at stake, but ultimately, you have to play your football, and that’s always the case. We try to be really calm in our build-up and focus really on how we can win the game and obviously not get too carried away with the emotion alongside it.
“But you want to play with emotion, you want to play with passion, but always, it has to be controlled in order to perform well.”
Celtic have all the tools needed to succeed this weekend
Undoubtedly, Celtic won’t expect a walkover this weekend; however, they showed their teeth in the title race when it matters, providing evidence they have all the tools necessary to succeed against Rangers.
Both sides come into this one with the potential to claim a second piece of silverware this term, which should provide the Bhoys with all the motivation they need to put their best foot forward.
Hampden is set to be a sea of green and white this weekend. Hopefully, the large support in attendance can be rewarded with another trophy.
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