BRENDAN RODGERS has stressed Celtic want to emphasise exactly why they are champions in the remaining three Premiership games of the campaign before looking for a spectacular conclusion to the season in the Scottish Cup Final.
The Hoops welcome Hibs to Parkhead on Saturday for the FOURTH time this term – and are looking to maintain their 100 per cent record.
Rodgers saw his side dismiss the Edinburgh club from the Premier Sports League Cup 3-1 in August and they also ended the Easter Road side’s interest in the Scottish Cup with a 2-0 victory in March.
In between those two knock-out performances, there was also a 3-0 win in the league in the east end of Glasgow in December.
TREBLE TALK…Brendan Rodgers prepares for the season’s glorious conclusion. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
No one could blame David Gray’s men for being sick of the sight of their weekend foes after also toppling to a 2-0 defeat in the Premiership in Scotland’s capital at the start of the season.
The Leith club are first up on the league run-in with Aberdeen due at Pittodrie on Wednesday in the Hampden dress rehearsal and then a packed house will enjoy their thirteenth flag day in 14 years when St Mirren provide the opposition a week on Saturday.
Relentless Rodgers is preparing to drive his players to a glorious end to the crusade and said: “We have 18 days now to get super focused in on the remaining games and the Scottish Cup Final.
“It’s important that the players and staff enjoy the success which we’ve had up until this point.
“But now there are 18 days left of the season for us to train like animals every single day, to recover the best way we can in those days off and be in here to get ready and prepared to take on the games.
CAPITAL SHOW…Nicolas Kuhn races away in triumph after scoring Celtic’s opening goal in the 2-0 league win at Easter Road in August.
“We love to play at home and be in front of our supporters and it’s a chance for the supporters to celebrate over these coming weeks.”
Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “Ultimately, we want to put on a performance. We know that it’ll be a difficult game against David’s team.
“Hibs arrived in to the last game in arguably the best moment that they could, but we had really good control of the game, we had to work very hard and we think it’ll be the same this weekend.
“It’ll be a full house and we want to play our game and show our hunger and desire to win the game.”
