Carl Starfelt was delighted to get one of his 'best ever wins' over the line as Celtic came out on top against Rangers in the Viaplay Cup – claiming the feeling in Glasgow beforehand urged the squad to take the spoils.
A brace from Kyogo had Celtic in dreamland just before the hour mark at Hampden, though Alfredo Morelos' goal to halve the deficit put the Hoops under the cosh for a while. Starfelt, alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers and Joe Hart, kept Rangers at bay as best they could and managed to prevail victorious despite Sead Haksabanovic and Matt O'Riley missing gilt-edged chances at the other end.
It meant Michael Beale's unbeaten run as Rangers manager came to an end, whilst Ange Postecoglou won his second Scottish League Cup to keep his 100 per cent record in the competition alive after beating Hibs in the final last year. But for Starfelt, he named the triumph as one of his best ever wins – touching on interactions he had with fans in the city centre before the game, with excitement in the build-up playing a key part in winning silverware once more.
He told Celtic View Podcast: "You will feel that it is a big week, that comes with it and everyone is a (naturally) bit more tense. You will see people in training go a little bit harder. I try not to read much and treat it as a normal game, but the day or day before you will feel the tension, and when you come to warm-up on the day you feel it a little bit more.
"You try to do as many things in a normal week as you can do - train normally, eat normally, do the stuff you usually do! I think everyone is different as well, I think some people like to think more about it earlier in the week and build it up.
"We know how much it means to the fans. Obviously you have fans coming up and speaking a little bit about the game! They will be telling you how important it is for them to win. You can feel it a little bit.
"I guess it is a little bit different for the Scottish boys as well who know so many people in the town. If you come from abroad like me, it's mostly the people on the streets who come up to be fair, because you don't know that many Scottish people.
"I personally like to keep within the group. I feel like if we're together in whatever happens and we are together on the pitch, you become comfortable and feel security which is important."
Of course, Celtic fans within the city will have been celebrating with the win at the weekend; and for Starfelt, he named it as one of his best as the Swede won his third major honour of his career - making it a hat-trick with the Hoops.
He continued: "It's very hard to describe. It was an amazing feeling, I think it was probably for myself it was one of the best wins in terms of feeling when they blew the whistle after the game. Like you say, it's a derby, a trophy, and my family was there which was really nice for me to enjoy the moment with them afterwards.
"I think for me, it was absolutely up there with one of the best wins I've had. It was huge, it was hard to describe the feeling but it was pure happiness.
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