I RUSHED BACK FOR CUP CLASH TOO FAST, SAYS ELYOUNOUSSI
WITH a mischievous laugh, Mohamed Elyounoussi vows that Celtic will ‘destroy’ Rangers when rivalry is renewed at the end of the month.
In order for the on-loan Southampton winger to be able to aid this proposed mission of obliteration, however, there is much personal work to be done.
Elyounoussi admits that he was in no fit state to frighten Rangers at Hampden last week.
Hindsight and an ineffective 45 minutes before being replaced by Mikey Johnston enabled him to confess that he had rushed a return from injury.
A star of the first two months of his Celtic career, Elyounoussi was sent home from Norwegian camp in November with a foot problem that prevented him from playing for his country.
The red-letter date of the
Betfred Cup Final and the first opportunity to face Rangers was swiftly circled in the calendar.
But Elyounoussi concedes that this was a mistake. He explained: ‘When I was injured, of course I targeted the cup final.
‘It was a big game that I felt I couldn’t miss. If I could take the time back, I would probably not have rushed it.
‘I was probably going to be ready for the next week instead. But, in the end, it was a big game.
‘I had a bad game. I think you could see yourself how my fitness was. I had only two proper sessions in three weeks, so it wasn’t the best of preparation.
‘But I tried my best. Fitness-wise, I could run but it was more about luck and touches with the ball. That wasn’t the best.
‘I hadn’t touched the ball for a long time. Afterwards, I couldn’t think too much about that and just felt the happiness and joy that we won.
‘I was just so pleased that the boys did the job and we won the trophy and were able to celebrate.
‘I am not satisfied with my performance and the boys know that. I will come back stronger.
‘We play Rangers again soon so I want to get fit, get some treatment, get back, get better and be 100-per-cent ready for that.’
Who better to bail Elyounoussi out from his poor showing than the Celtic team-mate he knows best — Fraser Forster. The giant goalkeeping hero and the Norwegian struck up their friendship while on the periphery at Southampton.
Forster was bafflingly ostracised to No3 in the goalkeeping pecking order last season, while Elyounoussi only fleetingly showed why Saints spent £16million on the ex-Basle man.
While Southampton struggle to stay afloat in relegation waters for another season with Alex McCarthy now preferred to Angus Gunn, Forster is single-handedly saving Celtic Europa League points and silverware.
Elyounoussi claims he has managed to slot the odd penalty past Forster in training when the intensity wasn’t close to that endured by Alfredo Morelos at the national stadium.
With those small victories in mind, Elyounoussi is glad he only faces up to Forster in practice and not as a big-game opponent.
He grinned: ‘I can’t explain how Fraser ended up third-choice goalkeeper at Southampton — it’s a good question! I can’t be the one to answer that.
‘He really is one of the best goalkeepers I’ve played with. Fraser was amazing, the reason why we won the cup. He had an amazing game.
‘If we played another 20 minutes I still don’t think Rangers would have scored against him. He was like a wall back there.
‘We are so happy to have him. I spent a lot of time with him at Southampton, both in the gym and out on the pitch where I did some shooting work with him while others had a game away or were training.
‘I got to know him really well. Now I am really happy for him with his performances not only against Rangers but in other games since he came up here.
‘When he was out of the team at Southampton, he knew himself what he could still do.
‘Even though he didn’t play much, he had the professional attitude because, in the end, he had to stay fit if the chance came to go on loan or whatever. In the end, it has worked out well for both of us.’