RONNY DEILA can’t wait for that Champions feeling on Sunday as Celtic set out to but the mathematical possibility that they could be caught by Aberdeen to bed.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Ronny told the media this afternoon at Lennoxtown.
“Hopefully there will be a lot of people in the stadium and it will be a game between the two best teams in Scotland.”
“We will be aiming to repeat our first-half performance against Hearts and do everything we can to get 3 points.”
Deila recognises that Aberdeen have once again provided a decent challenge to Celtic, just as they did last year.
“You want to win the league by as many points as you can but you have to credit Aberdeen as well,” Ronny stated.
“They have had a very good season, been very consistent and pushed a lot, should be a good football game.”
Celtic have three games remaining, against Aberdeen on Sunday at Celtic Park, before traveling up to Perth to play St Johnstone before ‘Trophy Day’ against Motherwell on the last day of the season at Celtic Park.
Ronny and probably quite a few players will be saying their goodbyes in what will be an emotional day in Paradise.
“We want to win games and finish off in a good way,” Ronny said this afternoon, adding that it is time to look to the big squad as some players get a well earned rest. “We have many good players here and we will see if we can use the squad more.”
One player who won’t feature in these three matches or probably in the forthcoming Scotland friendlies is the Celtic skipper Scott Brown.
Ronny confirmed that Scott Brown’s season is over adding that “his two hamstrings have inflammation and need to be rested. He was injured for three months at the beginning of the season.
Deila believes that Scott Brown has pushed himself through a heavy schedule of games this season, particularly after an earlier thane expected return from injury in the League Cup semi final against Ross County. Ronny recognises that Brown now needs a break.
“To get the best out of him for Celtic and Scotland,” observed Ronny, “it is important that he gets a rest.”
“He’s been unbelievably important. On the pitch and in training he is always at 100 per cent.
“I talked to the players on the first day and said we need players who give 100 per cent,” Ronny recalled, believing that Scott Brown “had been a good ambassador for that.”
“He can handle a lot of pain as well and is a leader in good and bad times.”
The Celtic manager also confirmed that Dedryck Boyata won’t feature against Aberdeen as he is still recovering from his hamstring injury while Simunovic remains out. Everyone else is fit.
Speaking about young Manchester City loanee Paddy Roberts, who has this week stated his wish to avoid an international call-up for England U21s this summer so that he can play in the Champions League Qualifiers for Celtic, Ronny said:
“I’m sure they will want to keep him here and he wants it as well. He has played a lot of youth football but playing in Champions League qualification will be very good for his development.
“He is a good, confident boy, always calm on the ball and always wants the ball. He’s also dangerous: he creates and he scores.
“Patrick is a special talent, technically & creative-wise but he still has things to add to his game, perfect for him to be here.”
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