Celtic captain Callum McGregor will be better placed than anyone to deal with the upcoming derby series – because games against Rangers have shaped his life since his school days.
McGregor will lead his side out against Rangers on April 8 in a game which could have a huge bearing on the cinch Premiership title.
The Glasgow rivals meet at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-finals on April 30 and will soon lock horns in the league again in the post-split fixtures.
The most recent meeting only happened on February 26 when Celtic beat Rangers at Hampden to lift the Viaplay Cup.
It is an intense period for McGregor and everyone else involved in the fixture but the 29-year-old has been dealing with the pressure of games against Rangers for most of his life, and they have always been important.
The midfielder told the Celtic View Podcast: “I always remember, obviously my dad would feed the information back, but the scouts and coaches would say that these were the games you will win your next contract.
“Even at 13, 14, 15, the coaches are watching these games to see, can they make the step up and play well in the game, can they affect the game and how do they handle the occasion?
“Very early on you had a sense that these games are really important for your development and, if you want to progress through the academy, you have to bring your best in these games.”
