Celtic's unusual absence from the semi-finals of the Viaplay Cup has no bearing on Rangers, insists Philippe Clement.
The new manager gave a witty response to a reporter who asked about the Hoops' elimination from the competition ahead of this weekend's showpiece fixtures at Hampden.
Aberdeen and Hibernian will lock horns tomorrow to determine who will play either Rangers or Hearts in the final next month.
Celtic are the current holders of the cup, having won it in both seasons under Ange Postecoglou. Brendan Rodgers' side fell at the first hurdle of their treble defence this season though, as Kilmarnock deservedly toppled them at Rugby Park during the early weeks of the campaign.
Clement took the Rangers job knowing that he was just two wins away from his first trophy as the new boss. While that's a huge carrot for the Belgian, it does also provide some pressure as it would be a bitter blow should they not go on to lift the silverware.
The 49-year-old is adamant that Celtic's absence from this stage of the tournament does not add any further pressure on his team's shoulders, though.
He told the media: "Those are all really good things for you guys because you can make a lot of stories about that.
"If the players show quality and do that, every day, every game, then at the end of the season there will be silverware. We need to focus on ourselves."
Clement also confirmed he will be without four first-team players for the game in Mount Florida. John Souttar, Nico Raskin, Rabbi Matondo and Kemar Roofe will all miss the trip to Hampden.
He added: "John Souttar will not be available for selection, Nico Raskin, Rabbi Matondo and Kemar Roofe will also be unavailable.
"Should everything go well, everyone else should be available."
