Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Aberdeen’s resurgence is good for the Scottish game as he prepares to take on Jimmy Thelin’s unbeaten side at Hampden.
The Hoops are neck and neck with the Pittodrie side at the top of the Scottish Premiership after the first ten games of the season.
Both are undefeated domestically this season, but something will have to give at the national stadium on Saturday with a place in the League Cup final on the line.
The Dons’ early form has heartened Rodgers, and he insists it is healthy for the game to have another challenger.
But he also says his side is hungry to make the final after missing out on the trophy last year.
Speaking to the media on Friday: “Aberdeen are a really good side, and have done so well this season. It’s a semi-final, and we want to get into the final, so we are looking forward to it.
“We know we will have to play really well to reach the final.
“Their form so far has been a great credit to them, in the first ten league games they have played with that consistency and done really well, they have really good players and Jimmy has come in and clearly done a fantastic job.
“I always expect Aberdeen to be up there challenging, so to see them there is no great surprise.
“We will have to be really concentrated and committed in our defending, when we press the game well we will create opportunities and we can dominate the ball.
“When we look back at Aberdeen’s first goal against us, our game wasn’t to the standard that we expect or would want and when you do that against a good team they can hurt you and that gave them momentum for the next 15 minutes or so.”
Celtic have won seven out of the last ten League Cups, including three times under Rodgers during his first spell, but missed out last season after being knocked out by Kilmarnock early in the campaign.
Rodgers and his side were stung by their failure to win the trophy last season, the only piece of silverware he hasn’t won during both his spells in Glasgow, and he says that only adds to their hunger to get over the line again this time around.
The former Leicester, Liverpool and Swansea City manager has a 100% winning record at Hampden and is hoping to keep up that record on Saturday.
He said: “It certainly gives us hunger, as we missed out on that one last season, but a year down the line we are in a far different place to last year.
“Our hunger is there to reach the first final, we were really disappointed last year when we weren’t there to challenge for the trophy, but we now have a great opportunity to get there this season.
“It’s always been a great joy to go to Hampden, for me I have always treated it like it is my first time and that is my mindset.
“I am really excited about going there and seeing half the stadium full of Celtic supporters and with the opportunity to get to a final.
“The League Cup was the one that eluded us last season and that didn’t sit comfortably with us.”
Aberdeen have won nine of their ten Premiership games, with a 2-2 draw at Celtic Park the only game he hasn’t won since Thelin took over.
And Rodgers says that is good to see and can only help the league as a whole and help his side kick on.
He said: “I think it’s brilliant (to have serious competition from Aberdeen) it’s great. Whether it’s football, or business, any competition is healthy and it’s what makes you better.
“You will always drive your own standards, but competition is really healthy and helps to keep you moving forward.
“Aberdeen are up there fighting, and everyone would expect Rangers to be up there at some point, and the big clubs from Edinburgh will feel like they want to be challenging as well.
“I think the more competitive the league is then that can improve you.”
Captain Callum McGregor is fit and available again after missing the last two games and is set to return to the squad along with the likes of Nicolas Kuhn.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor are also in contention after returning to first-team action in the 2-0 win over Dundee on Wednesday.
Rodgers will now have big decisions to make on his starting lineup with the likes of Auston Trusty and Luke McCowan impressing in recent games.
He said: “We are in a really good place, everyone is fit and healthy, other than Odim Holm who has been out for a little while with his calf.
“Other than that I am really happy we have managed to get through to this period now in a really healthy way.”
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