Rangers will face Celtic in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup.
Former Ibrox man Bob Malcolm believes Rangers’ first step to preventing Celtic claiming 10 Scottish Premiership titles in a row is to deny them a second successive domestic treble, the Evening Times report.
The Hoops have all-but wrapped up the Scottish title this season, meaning that next year they can make it an unprecedented 10 successive league triumphs.
Such a feat would no doubt hurt their Glasgow rivals, even if many supporters at Ibrox feel such a feat is not a true reflection of Celtic’s supremacy due to Rangers’ time spent out of the top-flight because of financial irregularities.
Speaking to the Evening Times, former player Bob Malcolm has urged Rangers to do their utmost to mount a title challenge next season and highlights the first step in breaking up Celtic’s dominance.
“They have to get back on track, and they have to be prepared to mount a title challenge next season,” Malcolm explained.
“The talk is inevitably turning now to Celtic getting 10-in-a-row, and the club has to do everything in its power to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“First things first, they need to stop the back-to-back treble. They have to do it for their club and for the fans. It would signify some sort of progress, and would give the club something to carry into next season.”
Beating Celtic in their upcoming Scottish Cup semi-final would send out the message that the gap is being closed, and it would give Rangers their first chance of claiming silverware since 2011.
Moreover, denying Celtic a second straight domestic treble may dent their confidence somewhat, giving boss Brendan Rodgers something to mull over ahead of next season.
Most importantly, though, Rangers need that taste of winning a major trophy again and for their own prospects ahead of next year, they need to know they are capable of beating Celtic when it really matters.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
