Celtic hero Lubo Moravcik has warned the club must learn from their Champions League capitulation to LASK or risk being bitten at Ibrox, where the Hoops will play without their fans.
Moravcik, who turned off his television in disgust when Celtic went 3-1 down in the qualifying tie, insists the players need the right attitude for the hostile environment across the city.
Mentality is everything
“These games are as much about mentality as anything else,” said Moravcik. “You have to fight for everything – every ball, every tackle, every 50-50.
“It is a fixture that is famous all over the world and even when I arrived in Glasgow at first I knew how big the game was. But as a player you have to love that. You have to want that environment.
“There is pressure and more than anything the fans remember these games. You can be a hero very quickly.
“But I watched Celtic’s Champions League qualifier against LASK and, honestly, I had to turn off the TV when they went 3-1 down. I knew what was coming and did not want to watch. It was too painful.
“So much of that comes down to mentality.
“Too many Celtic players looked scared. They could feel the momentum of the tie change and did not know what to do. They were afraid. If you are an opponent you sense that.
“It is not war. Football is a sport. You cannot be afraid to play. You have to be able to enjoy games where there is pressure.
“I don’t think I have ever seen Martin O’Neill look so upset as that night. His face was so white. You could see how shocked he was. I am sure privately he would have had a few things to say about it.”
Moravcik’s derby memories
Moravcik knows the fixture well, having announced himself with a 5-1 win over Rangers after much mocking about his arrival. He was also sent off at Hampden in an ill-tempered League Cup semi-final.
His favourite Celtic memory against Rangers came at Ibrox in April 2001, when Celtic won 3-0.
“I scored two and Henrik Larsson scored his 50th goal of the season,” he said. “That is my favourite game against Rangers.
“Winning on that stage against a very good Rangers team was a nice feeling. But there was something special that day within the team.
“It was our first season under Martin and there was belief, a confidence about us, from the minute we got off the bus.
“I knew what it meant to Celtic that day. To go to Ibrox and put on a show on the way to a title that had been lost the previous season by more than 20 points, it was special.”
Pressure on both teams
O’Neill is back at Ibrox for another cup tie, with both teams under pressure for different reasons.
“Celtic have been strong domestically and have started the season well but there are always judgements from these games. They have to win,” said Moravcik.
