Jeffrey Schlupp feels Celtic’s defeat to Hibernian a week ago is still fresh as the sides prepare to meet in the Scottish Cup this weekend.
Following a painful defeat from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich, Brendan Rodgers’ side went to Easter Road with a tight fixture calendar.
Hibs led 2-0 at halftime, and despite a goal from Daizen Maeda in the second half, the Leith side won. Schlupp, who scored his first Celtic goal in a 5-2 win over St Mirren last Saturday, admits the setback to Hibs still hurts. “Cup games are always great,” he remarked (Celtic TV).
“Obviously, we’re going to be looking to win the game [this weekend].
“They [Hibs] have been on a tremendous run. They beat us a few weeks ago, which is still painful. It’s something we’ll want to do right away.
“It will be a significant deal for the fans, as well as for us. Our goal is to go to the semi-finals.” Hibs will bring a sizable 7,000 fans to Glasgow’s east end for the highly anticipated cup encounter. David Gray’s side has not lost in 15 games and is riding high after a 2-1 triumph over Heart of Midlothian in the Edinburgh derby last weekend.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers anticipates a tough challenge: “I think it’s a really difficult game, but I also think it’s a really difficult game for them,” he remarked. “I think it’s one where David did exceptionally well; I was overjoyed for him, and I believe I expressed it before our final game. I think it just tells you if you stick with your manager, because I know it was a really difficult start for him, but I believe the players were clearly committed to David, his staff, and his job.
“The individuals up the stairs certainly were, because it can take some time to figure out your best systems, styles, or anything you want to play. “There’s little doubt that their manner and approach to work have evolved slightly, but it remains highly successful.
“So I’m really excited for him as a young manager coming in at a club he loves, a club where he’s an iconic character, to demonstrate that he can overcome that initial stumbling block.
“That’s also a huge credit to the club, since managers need time to achieve this. The sun does not shine every day as a manager; you have bad days and difficult games, but he clearly has a true passion for the club, a professionalism, and that has seen him through, and as you say, in terms of results, he is doing very, very well.”
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