Rough stuff won’t put us off our game
SAYS KIERAN TIERNEY
KIERAN TIERNEY insists Celtic won’t be knocked off their stride if Motherwell resort to physical tactics in Sunday’s Betfred Cup Final. Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers accused the Fir Park side of endangering players’ lives and careers after their bruising semi-final victory over Rangers. Motherwell’s Ryan Bowman smashed Ibrox defender Fabio Cardoso’s nose. And Tierney retains long memories of a dangerous challenge from the Steelmen’s forward in a league game at Parkhead in February. Warning Celtic won’t allow themselves to be shoved around despite the demoralising and draining impact of a 7-1 Champions League hammering in Paris, Tierney said: ‘Everyone knows about the tackle he (Bowman) made on me. ‘I don’t think he meant it — and I wouldn’t like to think he meant it. ‘They are a strong and physical team but we have shown over the past season and a bit we can stand up to all the different challenges put in front us. ‘We know they are an in-form team. ‘You don’t go up to Aberdeen and beat them 2-0 if you are not a good team. ‘They will be going in fresh and really confident. We know it will be a really tough game.’ A demoralising, gruelling loss to PSG would be far from any team’s idea of the perfect preparation for a cup final. Yet Tierney believes defeat to the best side he has faced can be compartmentalised to concentrate on winning the first domestic silverware of the season — a fourth straight trophy under Rodgers. ‘We have to put the PSG game behind us now,’ he insisted. ‘It was a horrible night and result for us, but they are a top-class team and are so clinical. ‘They are the best team I have played against. ‘Obviously, Barcelona at the Nou Camp, that was 7-0 and we played terrible that night. ‘It shows how good PSG are because it felt they scored with just about every attack and every goal seemed to be right in the corner. ‘It was hard to take for us but it is one we can’t think about too much because it is all to play for in the last game. ‘It is done and we’ve had the
chat and now we have a massive game on Sunday and that is what we are preparing for.’ Tierney went to Our Lady’s High School in Motherwell with Fir Park winger Chris Cadden. The two could go head-to-head at the National Stadium, with Tierney motivated by the thought of giving the fans who travelled to Paris another trophy to celebrate. ‘At Celtic, that is what it is like — you have a massive game and you are not really getting a break,’ he said. ‘We have travelled back from Paris and we have another massive game on Sunday. It is a final and a one-off game. ‘We will need to recover and do all we can to be ready for that game. The fans have been great with us. ‘They have paid a lot of money and given up their hard-earned cash to come over to Paris to watch us. ‘They are a great support and we let them down on Wednesday — but everybody gave their all, there is no doubt about that. ‘This team always gives their all. Hopefully, we can now repay the fans on Sunday.’