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“Rangers ‘Stole’ Our Game”- Brendan Rodgers Fires Warning Shot Ahead of Old Firm Derby and Exposes Rivals’ Secret Weapon
Brendan Rodgers is confident Celtic will be ready to reclaim the Old Firm derby crown next week, following their disappointing 3-0 loss to Rangers at Ibrox earlier this season.
The Hoops comfortably advanced to the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Hibs at a sunny Parkhead.
Daizen Maeda netted his 27th goal of the season to open the scoring in the 39th minute, and Adam Idah sealed the win with an injury-time strike, ending Hibs’ impressive 15-game unbeaten streak.
The win provided perfect preparation for Sunday’s crucial clash with Rangers, with Celtic determined to avenge their humbling defeat in Govan.
Rangers, under then-manager Philippe Clement, dominated the derby back in January, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory after losing the first encounter of the season 3-0 at Parkhead.
Rodgers, however, is confident his side will be better prepared this time around. “We were well beaten that day,” he admitted. “Rangers took our game from us.
It’s usually how we play, but they deserved the win. But we’ll be ready for the demands of the next game.”
He added, “I’ve never had a team like that in one of these games before. The intensity, the demands – we’ll be ready for them, just like we were in the first derby.
We’ve recovered well since then, and this was a good performance against Hibs. We’re at home and we’ll be looking to attack the game.”
Callum McGregor echoed Rodgers’ sentiments, saying that the January defeat served as a timely reminder of the high standards required for a title-winning season.
Celtic currently sit 16 points clear at the top, and a victory on Sunday would bring them within two wins of securing a fourth consecutive league title.
Rodgers reflected on the derby defeat, admitting: “You always want to win every game, especially the derbies.
We’ve won them well this season, though not always playing brilliant football. Maybe that defeat came at a good time – with us being 14 points clear and in a strong position, it softened us a bit.
But we didn’t meet the demands of that game and the intensity we usually play with. We’ll be in a much better place this time.”
Looking ahead, Rodgers believes his team’s mentality, consistency, and professionalism have put them in an excellent position, with a semi-final to look forward to and just nine league games remaining.
As for Rangers, Rodgers is expecting a fired-up side under interim boss Barry Ferguson, especially after their Europa League clash with Fenerbahce on Thursday.
However, he admitted he is unsure what tactical approach or personnel Ferguson will use for the derby.
“I’m not sure what to expect from Rangers,” he said. “They’ve been very good in Europe but inconsistent domestically.
Their strength is in counter-attacking, so we need to be aware of that. Barry will bring passion and professionalism, and so will I. It’s going to be a great game.”
