Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has revealed that his team are ready for another potential penalty shootout in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Rangers.
The last three cup ties between these Glasgow rivals have gone to extra time, with two of them culminating in penalties.
On both occasions, the Hoops emerged victorious, the most recent triumph being the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final clash at Ibrox in March.
O'Neill said: "We absolutely do (practice penalties), we’ll take it that far. We’ve always done this in cup competitions."
He acknowledged the difficulty of replicating the high-pressure stadium environment in training but stressed the importance of practice for all players.
The manager added: "But at least you if you’ve had a couple of penalty shots, even if you’re, let’s say, a centre half or something and you’re asked to do it and if you’ve not practised it, well then it’ll be a double whammy for you because you’ve not done it in front of a big stadium and you’ve not even practiced it.
"So you might as well have a few shots and that’s what we do at the end of the training sessions."
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O'Neill also admitted that the prospect of a penalty shootout only becomes a real consideration in the dying minutes of extra time. He said: "You might have had some of your best penalty takers start the game and come off through fatigue or whatever the case may be.
"And whatever you’re left with, that’s it."
O'Neill is expecting a tough encounter against a Rangers side that have won four games in a row under Derek McInnes. He said: "I think they’ll be strong. I think they’ll be robust. I think they’ll be ready to go and we need to be able to match that."
There will be no Celtic fans inside Ibrox at the order of the authorities amid a ticket allocation spat between the two Glasgow giants.
However, midfielder Benjamin Nygren insists the team will adapt. He said: "When you’re in the game, you just try to focus on the game. Of course, our fans are so important for us, and we love their support, but it is what it is.
"We cannot do anything about it, so we just have to focus on the game and let our fans celebrate elsewhere."
