Brendan Rodgers warns Celtic not to expect tired Rangers after European exploits

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers recalled a tale of caution from his days at Leicester as he dismissed suggestions that Rangers would be derailed by their European exertions on Sunday.

While Celtic had a free midweek, Rangers played 120 minutes of action against Fenerbahce on Thursday night before seeing off the Turkish side on penalties.

Interim Rangers head coach Barry Ferguson has told his players the Europa League tie is no excuse for any below-par performance in Sunday’s William Hill Premiership encounter at Parkhead.

And Rodgers issued a warning of what is possible in the most difficult of circumstances.

An Ademola Lookman goal earned Leicester a 1-0 win over Liverpool on December 28, 2021 – just two days the Foxes suffered a 6-3 defeat by Manchester City. The Reds had not played since beating Leicester on penalties in the League Cup six days earlier.

When asked whether Rangers’ extra activity would impact his approach, Rodgers said: “Not really. I think from our perspective, it’s about looking to play our game.

“Our game’s a running game, it’s a pressing game, it’s an intense game, so that’s what we want to play from the very first whistle.

“I don’t know the Rangers squad, I don’t know the mentalities, but I know that obviously they got through their tie.

“It’s always a mental thing. I had a recent experience with my team at Leicester, where we played Manchester City on the 26th of December away. Peak Man City.

“And then on the 28th, virtually two days later, we played peak Liverpool. So it was as tough as you get.

“And the second game, whenever Liverpool had more rest coming into the game than ourselves, we had virtually no rest going into the game and won the game 1-0.

“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.”

Rangers added Fenerbahce to a long list of Europa League conquests in recent years to reach the last eight.

The Light Blues have seen off Nice, Union Saint-Gilloise, FCSB and Malmo this season and the likes of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Real Betis, Galatasaray, Sparta Prague, Red Star Belgrade, Porto and Braga in previous campaigns, reaching the 2021 final in the process.

Despite their impressive European form, Rangers have struggled to make sustained inroads on Celtic’s domestic dominance, winning three trophies since Rodgers first arrived in Glasgow in 2016. The Hoops have claimed 20 and are five wins away from adding another two this season.

When asked about the comparisons between the European and domestic sectors, Rodgers said: “I think it’s congratulations to Rangers firstly to get to the quarter-final.

“I think that people will look at what Celtic do and see it as being easy, but it’s not easy.

“You play here, you manage here, a club like Celtic, it’s high pressure. Every game is a must-win game, that mentality.

“A team among our rivals who have done well in Europe, get to the quarter-finals, it shows the consistency and mentality of this team and how well they’ve been doing.

“But I think we’re very focused on our own selves and we want to be able to bring our performance to the game at the weekend and to see if we can extend our lead.”