The Hoops travel to Ibrox on Sunday to face Glasgow rivals Rangers in the last Old Firm derby of the season.
Celtic legend Davie Hay has warned the Scottish Premiership champions about what defeat to Rangers in the upcoming Old Firm derby could do in terms of their rivals’ morale going into next season.
The Hoops have wrapped up their eighth consecutive title, holding off Gers as well as Aberdeen and Kilmarnock to emerge triumphant, but they did suffer a huge blow back in December when they lost to their bitter rivals at Ibrox.
There have been three Old Firm games so far this season and Celtic have won two of them, both at Parkhead, but on Sunday they will be heading into enemy territory once again for the final Glasgow derby of the campaign.
While the game itself is a dead rubber in terms of actual things to play for, with Neil Lennon’s side already champions and Steven Gerrard’s charges assured of second place, the rivalry between the two sides means it’s never not going to be hotly contested.
And Hay has sought to make sure there is no complacency whatsoever within the Celtic ranks by warning them that a second Old Firm win for Rangers will be a huge psychological boost upon for them which to build into the summer and next season.
“On Sunday, Rangers will be looking to get another one over their rivals after winning at Ibrox the last time, and even though they went on to lose at Celtic Park, they will be looking for a win here to give them another shot of hope and belief going into next term,” Hay wrote in the Glasgow Evening Times.
“For Rangers, they will be looking for some consolation from a season where they have finished trophyless, and to have two wins against their rivals under their belt would give them great encouragement ahead of the summer.”
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