Lewis hopes Moussa gets stuck on bottom rung at Hampden

JOE LEWIS expects his former team-mate Moussa Dembele to make it to the very top of the football ladder. The Aberdeen goalkeeper would, however, be most grateful if the Celtic striker failed to make any impact on next weekend’s Scottish Cup final.

Lewis played alongside Dembele (right) at Fulham and knew from his performances in last season’s English Championship, the young Frenchman was already on a pathway to the summit.

Brendan Rodgers’ first signing for Celtic has struck 32 times this term but is locked in a battle to prove his fitness after damaging a hamstring in the semi-final win over Rangers.

Should he fail to make it, Aberdeen would have one less goal threat to worry about.

‘I got to know Moussa fairly well last season,’ says Lewis, who moved to Pittodrie under freedom of contract last summer. ‘He is a very quiet lad. Because of the size of him and how strong he is, you forget just how young he is. But he is a good player and I’m sure he will go on to big things.

‘I know he has been working his socks off to be fit and Celtic will be hoping he manages to make it.

‘There’s not much we can do about that but we just have to hope it’s our quality that shines through on the day.’

The teams met in a dress rehearsal in the north east earlier this month, with Celtic scoring three times in a whirlwind start. Minus Dembele, Rodgers’ side still contrived goals from Dedryck Boyata, Stuart Armstrong and Leigh Griffiths in the first 12 minutes.

After recovering and pulling one back through Jonny Hayes, Derek McInnes’ side went on to participate fully in an open and entertaining game.

‘Even without Moussa, Celtic have a lot of good attacking players. But whoever we are up against we will be confident of getting a win and bringing back the trophy,’ Lewis said. ‘Celtic have been fantastic this season, you have to take your hat off to them and what they have done, but when I came to Aberdeen I was surprised at the quality of some of the players here, too. ‘The club has done well to recruit this bunch and, if we can keep the nucleus of that, we will have another successful season next year.’

The 29-year-old Lewis signed a two-year deal with the Dons last summer but has entered into discussions aimed at extending his deal.

After experiencing cup final heartache once this season, he’d like to enter season two with a winners’ medal tucked away.

‘We have looked at the League Cup final and are confident we can give a better account of ourselves this time,’ he said.

‘We need to have a right go.’