Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has urged his players to ‘embrace the occasion’ as they take on rivals Rangers in the Viaplay Cup final at Hampden on Sunday.
Both sides last met each other in a League Cup final back in 2019 when defender Christopher Jullien became the match hero.
It’s not every season that the Hoops get the chance to play their derby rivals in a final at the national stadium which is why Postecoglou hopes his players rise to the challenge.
The mantra of the Celtic boss is always to focus on one game at a time, but attention is now fully focused on the first silverware of the season.
It could be easy for him to play down the occasion but all the attention given to match means it’s like no other and he wants his players to embrace it.
Having managed in high-profile World Cup matches as well as in the Champions League this season, the Australian coach wants his stars up for the challenge and to bring home the first silverware of the season.
“If you try to bunker down and try to treat it like any other week you’re going to get unstuck,” said Postecoglou as quoted by the [Daily Record].
“There is so much attention on everything we do over the next few days. You can get narky about it or complain about it or you can just embrace it as the fact it’s a big game this week, with a big prize at the end of it and just roll with it.
“The players get asked for cup final tickets, or people around them get excited. As long as the players embrace that and don’t let it affect their preparation then that’s fine. I’ve found that’s the best way to handle these games.
“I’ve found over the course of time that big games are big games. There’s no point trying to shy away from that or trying to treat it like every other game because you know they’re not.
29th January 2023; Tannadice Park, Dundee, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Dundee United versus Celtic; Celtic Manager Angelos Postecoglou
“The players are human beings and they understand what’s at stake at the weekend and the possibility of winning a trophy. You want them excited about that stuff, you want them understanding the consequences of those games. If you embrace that then there’s nothing that’s going to come along which should switch away your focus.
“It’s not a normal week. As much as you want to say just keep it as a normal week, it’s not. I’m here at Hampden today so it’s not a normal week!”
Both teams last met at Hampden in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup last year and many players will still likely have that at the back of their minds.
Celtic and Rangers head into this game having both remained unbeaten since the World Cup break but only one team will walk away a winner from Hampden on Sunday.
