SCOTTY SINCLAIR has offered sympathy to stricken team-mate Moussa Dembele after the 32-goal hitman was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.
The flamboyant Celtic attacker can appreciate the frustration of having to miss out after he was forced to watch his Hoops team-mates lift the League Cup earlier this season.
Sinclair, who has notched 24 goals in a prolific debut season at Parkhead, pulled his hamstring in the Champions League defeat to Barcelona in Glasgow just days before the 3-0 Final victory over Aberdeen in November.
The Englishman said: “We were hoping that it wouldn’t be too bad and that Moussa would make it to get back for Hampden next month.
“I know exactly what he is going through. I had to miss the League Cup Final and I was really hoping for him that he would be back in a couple of weeks.
“It is tough. On a personal level, it is difficult to sit out big games like that and I knew if it came back, and it was a bad one, he would be gutted.”
Dembele pulled a hamstring during Sunday’s 2-0 semi-final win after playing a major role in setting up Callum McGregor for the opening goal.
Sinclair added: “It is not just about the 11 guys who are in the starting line-up. It is about the whole squad and I think you can see the togetherness that we have.
“Whoever steps on that field gives 100 per cent for each other and I think that is reflected in the way we have been able to come back in games at times.
“Leigh Griffiths is a proven goalscorer and he will be ready to hit the ground running at Ibrox this weekend.”
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