Rangers manager Philippe clement reveals one major reason why rangers must go ‘ toe-to-toe ‘ with Celtic and get crucial win.
The 60,000-capacity stadium will be packed with Hoops fans for the season’s final Old Firm clinching Premiership encounter. With only three games remaining, Celtic led Rangers at the top of the league by three points and five goals, and the Belgian manager summed up the task at hand by evoking the experiences of Roman Empire soldiers.
“Yes, they should seize that moment. We need to seize that moment together and devote all of our energies to it, and that is the beauty of sport, competition,” added Clement, who revealed that defender Leon Balogun is “doubtful” and would be evaluated.
“I believe that football is similar to modern-day gladiators. In the past, gladiators competed in front of a stadium full of people shouting and booing and giving their thumbs up or down. I believe we are now in that scenario.
“The nice thing is that people don’t murder us; we don’t die later. Maybe verbally, but not in real life, which is a good thing since we can always try again in the stadium. “That is how society works today, and players must be prepared for it.
“It’s also thrilling because the more people care about their teams, the more support you’ll get. “It works both ways.” They must seize this opportunity to prove themselves as great gladiators in the Colosseum tomorrow.” When it was argued that the match was a must-win for his team, Clement responded, “I don’t really agree with that. “If there is a draw, you can still win the championship. Even if you lose, it is a long shot, perhaps too long for me, but it is also relevant to the point.
“But we’re going for the full three points. Clear, extremely clear. Doing so will allow us to make an extraordinary comeback while also making a significant statement.” While Celtic had two victories and a draw from their last three Old Firm games this season, and Parkhead is a notoriously difficult site for Rangers, Clement insists he has done “zero” work to create confidence in his team this week.
He said, “I don’t think I need to believe in my team this week. I believe they are hungry and want to show themselves as a team rather than as individuals. “For sure, the belief is present, and it is not the result of one or a few days prior to a game. It confirms what they’ve been doing for several months. “All these things are really positive things.”
