Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has dismissed the notion that Rangers may be fatigued when they visit Parkhead this Sunday, following their Europa League match against Fenerbahce on Thursday. Rodgers drew on his experience with Leicester City, where they played Manchester City and Liverpool in quick succession, and still managed to secure a win.
Rangers’ progress to the Europa League quarter-finals after a penalty shootout, following 120 minutes of play, has raised concerns about their readiness for the upcoming match against Celtic. However, Rodgers remains unconvinced, citing the mental aspect of the game as a crucial factor.
“I don’t know the Rangers squad, I don’t know the mentalities, but I know that obviously they got through their tie and they’ll come to us,” Rodgers said. “As I said, it’s always a mental thing.”
Rodgers recalled a similar experience with Leicester City, where they played Manchester City on December 26 and then faced Liverpool just two days later. Despite the short turnaround, Leicester City managed to secure a 1-0 win against Liverpool.
“So physically, of course, it’s exhausting, and it’s tiring. But you come into a Celtic-Rangers game, it’s about your mentality as well,” Rodgers emphasized.
The upcoming match will be the fourth encounter between Celtic and Rangers this season. Rangers won the most recent clash 3-0 at Ibrox, but Rodgers has downplayed the desire for revenge, focusing instead on the response to that defeat.
“I think we were pretty clear after it at that time, and I think you only need to see the response,” Rodgers said. “At that time, we were 14 points clear. The response from that game puts us at 16 points clear. So, the response to that defeat was very, very good.”
Rodgers acknowledged that the 3-0 loss at Ibrox was a rare experience for him, particularly in terms of his team’s response to going behind.
“Like I said, it was foreign for me because I never experienced that with my teams before in this game. It was more the response to going behind. We didn’t respond to that,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers conceded that Rangers were the better team on that day and that Celtic must accept the defeat and move forward.
“You can always go behind in games. Things don’t go your way in a game. But Rangers were a better team on that day. So, we have to accept that. We’ve responded really, really well. And now you get the chance to build on the lead that we have by performing.”
The match between Celtic and Rangers is expected to be intense, with both teams vying for supremacy in the Scottish Premiership. Rodgers’ comments suggest that he is focused on the mental preparation of his team, rather than dwelling on past defeats or worrying about Rangers’ potential fatigue.
As the two teams prepare to face each other, the stakes are high, and the atmosphere at Parkhead is expected to be electric. Celtic will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table, while Rangers will be seeking to close the gap and keep their title hopes alive.
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