Ange Postecoglou insists Livingston on Sunday is the Real big game this week for Celtic – because keeping the Premiership crown is the key to his Champions League dream.
The Hoops boss – who has star man Jota back – has warned his men to forget about Wednesday’s jaunt to Madrid and instead throw everything at Davie Martindale’s Lions in West Lothian. Celtic ’s Champions League showdown may be bursting with glamour but it’s a dead rubber after Tuesday’s failure to beat Shakhtar Donetsk. However, the title race is well and truly on and Aussie Postecoglou doesn’t want any slip-ups on Livi’s plastic pitch.
He said: “We know what game is the most important and it’s the next game. We’ve had a really hectic schedule and we’ve had to stay focused. Our form in the league has been really strong. Particularly when you go to a place like Livi, you need to have all your attention on the task.
“If you start to look beyond then, you are going to slip up. If you look at what we have done in the league so far, that would be a backwards step. Our priority is the league because that’s how you qualify for the Champions League.
“Our job isn’t to be in the Champions League every five years, our job is to be a Champions League side every year. And that means winning the league. That will always be our priority as long as I’m here. The league is our No.1 target because that gives us the platform to grow as a team.”
Postecoglou ’s warned his squad he won’t accept anyone keeping their powder dry for the bucket list bash at the Bernabeu. He said: “They should want to play every game.
“I don’t think we are in a position where players can pick and choose what games they want to play. We’ve had some key players missing in recent weeks and we’ve playing our football.
“The team haven’t stopped and they need to hit the spot, whether it’s this weekend or beyond. If any player came to me I reckon they’d get a pretty clear answer. I’ve got great respect for Livingston. We treat every opponent the same way and we’ll put the same amount of research into Livingston as we do for Real Madrid.”
Postecoglou is set to give Jota game time if the winger comes through training unscathed. The attacker – who is part of Portugal’s extended World Cup squad – is back in business along with defender Carl Starfelt.
Postecoglou said: “Jota has gone through training so far and if he comes through [the next session] he’ll be fit and ready for the game. Hopefully we can get him back in.
“Apart from Callum McGregor, they are all back in full training. Match fitness-wise, they are nowhere near being ready to start. It’s more the fact they haven’t played a while than the surface.”
Postecoglou revealed long-term crock McGregor is ahead of schedule on the comeback trail. He added: “Callum is a constant presence, he’s always around the dressing room. The recovery is going well.
“We won’t see him before the break but, Callum being Callum, he’s pushing every boundary and probably ahead of schedule, which is no surprise to us.
“Speaking to him, he’s in a pretty good place and really pleased with the way it’s going. I think he realises that when we come back, there’s still the most important part of the season to go. And he wants to be a big contributor to that.”
