Last season’s duels make Hibs confident of stunning Hoops
HIBS defender Ryan Porteous insists the capital club can draw on their displays against Celtic last season as they aim to stun the champions at Parkhead.
Neil Lennon’s men claimed a 2-1 win over the Hoops when the sides last met at Easter Road, with goals from Jamie Maclaren and Vykintas Slivka doing the damage.
The Hibees also played out 2-2 draws in Leith and in Glasgow.
The other two matches between the teams were won by Celtic, but Hibs were far from outclassed by Brendan Rodgers’ double Treble winners.
They will renew hostilities at Celtic Park in a mouthwatering showdown on Saturday, with the visitors on a run of four successive league victories and riding high in second spot in the Premiership – a point ahead of the Hoops.
“Last year against Celtic we gave them five really good games, so hopefully we can do that again,” said the 19-year-old.
“We’ve had a good start to the season and I’ve enjoyed playing a part in it.
“It’ll be a tough game but it’s one we are all eager to impress in. It’s a good run of form we are on and we want that to keep going.”
Hibs could be boosted by new recruit Charalampos Mavrias if his international clearance comes in time. The Greece international has joined on a shortterm deal until January 2019, with an option to extend the contract if the move proves fruitful.
The 24-year-old right-back was a free agent after leaving Croatian side NK Rijeka during the summer and has been on trial with Hibs for several weeks.
Mavrias has a familiar face in the Easter Road dressing room after playing alongside Florian Kamberi at German side Karlsruher during the 2016/17 campaign, and it was he who helped sell the move to him.
“I spoke with Flo [Kamberi] before I came to Hibs and he told me very good things about the club,” Mavrias said.
“Flo is a really good player and a great character. I’ve realised that he is right. Everything I have seen has been amazing.
“From the first day that I came here I saw that it is a very good club. The organisation is amazing and the environment for football is top quality.”
Mavrias was on the books of Sunderland between 2013 and 2016 and played in the English Premier League.
“I knew Scottish football was a really strong league and when I was at Sunderland I was able to see some games so I know this will be a tough challenge,” he said.