Olivier Ntcham makes Rangers admission ahead of Old Firm clash

Sun 4 March 2018 13:43, UK

Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham has attempted to play down the upcoming Old Firm clash between the Hoops and Rangers at Ibrox.

The 22-year-old summer signing from Manchester City has admitted he does not watch matches that the Ibrox side play, and that he only focuses on how the Hoops play.

“I don’t really watch them, I concentrate only on Celtic. It’s all about what we do,” he said, as quoted by the Scottish Sun.

“Maybe people in France will look to see how I have done in the derby but there is no extra pressure on me – it’s just another game.”

Supporters are unlikely to agree with Ntcham’s assessment of the game, as it is still the one that Hoops fans want to win the most.

The game next Sunday could well be a title decider, as a Hoops win would give them a nine point lead over their bitter rivals, with a game in hand.

Football Insider verdict

Ntcham is of course correct that the Old Firm derby is just another game, but of course it does mean more than most other matches. With Rangers currently in good form, the match at Ibrox will be a test for the Frenchman and his team-mates. The 22-year-old could be a key figure in the game, as he helped the Hoops gain in a foothold in the goalless match between the sides in December after a period of Gers domination in the game. The midfield partnership of Dembele and Scott Brown will have a big impact on if the Hoops can get the victory which would all but guarantee them a seventh straight league title.