Rangers player Fashion Sakala has insisted his team are “so much better” than Celtic, despite finding themselves nine points behind in the Scottish Premiership league table.
The two teams have played each other twice this term, with the Bhoys routing their rivals 4-0 at Celtic Park before securing a 2-2 draw at Ibrox that was far more useful to the away side. Even since Michael Beale has arrived, the Bhoys have been scoring more goals and conceding less domestically.
Apparently, however, none of that matters much to Sakala.
As quoted by Football Scotland, he said: “When you play against Celtic, it’s a different game. You just want to hurt them! I don’t know what’s the right word to use. We just want to see our fans happier than their fans. We just want to hurt them, to make them angry.
“It’s more than a game. I don’t know what else to call it. But you’re always thinking about being better than them. That’s the attitude we are going with on Sunday.
“Yes we’re better than them, so much better! But we’re nine points behind! We’ll keep fighting anyway. I think we are such a better club. A far better club. If we get that trophy on Sunday it will prove that we are a better team than them.”
Naturally, no team or player is going to go into such a crucial derby on Sunday with a mindset of being inferior – though it does seem odd to make public proclamations such as this with the evidence to most onlookers suggesting an opposite truth.
Personally, I don’t think they’ve earned the chance to show off like that, especially this season. Postecoglou’s Bhoys have been imperious and a cut above everyone else.
That’s not to say Sunday is going to be easy for Celtic either. It would be silly to say that. In a one-off game Rangers are capable of picking up a win. But the media peacocking before a ball has been kicked, based on the evidence so far this season, is rather absurd.
In other news, Craig Gordon praises Joe Hart ahead of Celtic final.
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