IT was perhaps fitting that on the day Matt O’Riley, the Celtic midfielder, received a maiden call-up for the Danish under-21 squad – the country of his mother’s birth – that he should show commendable coolness at the prospect of a mad month in which Celtic and Rangers could potentially square up three times.
Historically when the games are concertinaed into one another there is a tendency for grievances to spill from one encounter to another. And that is before factoring in the 50-50 ticket split for the William Hill semi-final at Hampden as the teams meet at the stage of the tournament for the first time since 2018.
O’Riley’s introduction to the fixture came last month in a pulsating 3-0 win as Celtic swatted Rangers aside. It was an enjoyable first experience of the fixture with O'Riley and co lauded by a tickled home support who had feasted on one of the performances of the season from Ange Postecoglou's side. As the midfielder spoke of looking forward to the "hostility" that will be evident at Hampden there is a feeling that he hasn't quite seen anything just yet.
“I’m actually really looking forward to that [having both sets of fans in the stadium],” he said. “It will probably create an even better atmosphere – with a bit of hostility towards both teams. I enjoy it, that’s what I buzz off.
“These are the games we are all buzzing to play in. It’s really enjoyable. For myself, I just love playing in that atmosphere where it’s bouncing. It makes you want to play better.
“It was spine-tingling last time. I spoke to a few people and they said it was probably one of the craziest Celtic v Rangers atmospheres there’s been, which was pretty cool. I was grateful to be part of it.
“I don’t think you understand how crazy it in unless you are in the stadium. It looks amazing on TV but It’s not until you are in there. My mum and dad were in the stadium and they were thinking, ‘Wow, this is crazy’. It has to inspire you to want more. That’s why we play football. The fans make it what it is.”
With a cheekbone that was fractured in two places and an eye that still sported the different hues of an aging bruise, Callum McGregor donned a protective mask and declared himself fit for that win against Rangers last month.
It was one of a number of a captaincy statements that McGregor has made this season, some more subtle than others. There was the donning of formal collar and tie for last week’s annual Celtic Foundation dinner while his colleague sported club tracksuits and for O’Riley it was the quiet greeting when he first walked in the door.
Given how Celtic’s season is currently poised, it is McGregor who will be key to just where it goes from here.
“On my first day he welcomed me really nicely so from that moment on I could see he was a proper man, a proper guy,” said O’Riley. “He steps up every day in training. He always drives it, always demands the best from himself and everyone else. He’s a proper captain.
“He does bring that assurance and calmness to the team, a real presence. He’s been involved in so many games so having him there is so important.”
There is a danger, of course, that as all eyes look to the expected drama of what April will bring that focus slips on the here and now. Postecoglou is unlikely to indulge in such fancifulness, however, with O’Riley maintaining that Celtic’s attitude that has taken them on a 30-game unbeaten domestic run will not waver.
“Attitude is important,” he said. “The manager has said our off-the-ball work rate will win us games and we showed that the other night. We worked really hard as a team and when we do that we are a hard team to beat.
“We were pretty calm when we saw the draw, to be honest. We have Ross County on Saturday to focus on, so we’re not thinking too much about it. We’ll take every game as it comes.
“That’s the mindset we have, it has to be like that. If comes from the manager. He really believes we can beat anyone and that transfers to the boys. You see it on the pitch, we really believe in ourselves.”
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