Callum McGregor claims three key principles of Celtic’s football philosophy led to the winning goal amid the “chaos” of Sunday’s Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.
The Light Blues, who went into the game at Hampden Park as cup holders, were punished just before the break for failing to play to the whistle.
After the Hoops captain took a quick free-kick to Matt O’Riley, several Rangers players switched off when the ball ran loose inside the box when the Celtic midfielder was challenged by Nicolas Raskin.
Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda reacted quickly to fire in a cross which was headed in by Portuguese winger Jota to set up a meeting in the final with Championship side Inverness on June 3.
“That was the pleasing thing again,” said McGregor.
“In such a high-stakes game, the emotions surrounding the game, both teams desperate to win, there is the three principles of our play in the goal.
“Quick restart, react quicker to the counter press, and then we get the winger coming in at the back post to get his header in.
“So it is really pleasing that in the midst of all the chaos you manage to stay calm and score a goal that’s a lot like we have been doing.
“It was a great result. Spells were really good and to show the other side of us in the second half, we were together, defended the box really well, good team shape and pressed at the right time.
“Overall, a bit of everything in there and most important of all in a semi-final, you get yourself to a final.”
Indeed, McGregor stressed the quality of the defensive side of the Hoops’ performance, which was as impressive as Celtic’s usual attacking prowess which has taken them to the brink of a domestic treble.
The Scotland international said: “It is a mentality thing. You have to be ready for everything that happens in the game.
“All week we had been talking about trying to dominate the game with the ball and impose our style which I thought we did for large spells of the first half.
“But the game is always live, it keeps changing, they changed shape and then the momentum of the game swings and you have to get to grips with that and we had to defend the box a little bit more than we would normally do.
“But the really pleasing thing you see is the togetherness of the team, boys putting their bodies on the line.
“Ali Johnston, CCD (Cameron Carter-Vickers), Carl Starfelt, Greg Taylor, making big blocks at big times and that is the foundation for a good team, you have to be really strong defensively.
“Successful teams that do good things are built on solid defensive structure and principles and we have always had that.
“Of course we have played good football this season and scored a lot of goals but we have always had that defensive side.
“If you look back at any of the big games, we have mostly been really sound and have had good principles in the way we defend.”
Shaw reveals how advice from former Man City stalwarts Bronze, Sterling assisted her to settle at the club
After struggling to find her footing when she just arrived at Manchester City, Jamaica international Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, revealed that it was the advice of Lucy Bronze and Raheem Sterling, coupled with hard work, that assisted in her now being the club's record goalscorer.
Since her transfer from Bordeaux in 2021, Shaw has cemented her status as one of the game’s most clinical strikers during her spell with Gareth Taylor's side so far. In the process, she smashed a number of records, including most goals scored by a Manchester City women’s player in a single season -31 in the 2022-23 campaign -before becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 72 goals overall.
However, she wasn't always confident that she would have accomplished those feats, as she pointed out how guidance from former Manchester City pair Bronze and Sterling put her on the path to history in sky blue, after a difficult early period at the Joie Stadium.
“When I came here initially, I was struggling a bit,” Shaw revealed on The Women's Game Podcast with Sam Mewis.
“One day I was coming in from training and Lucy [Bronze] was coming in as well and she asked, ‘are you okay?’ and I said ‘I just can’t get the way they play, I can’t get it right’. City play a specific type of way and I was saying when we were walking in from training ‘I cannot get this right’. I didn’t know if here was for me.
“She started laughing and she was like ‘you focus on what got you here, the bits you do well that got you here, there’s something they saw in you that got you here’. At that moment I was like ‘wow’. I then called Raheem [Sterling] and I said the same thing to him. He was just laughing and said, ‘when I came from Liverpool I struggled a bit, they play a certain way so trust the process, believe in what you’re doing and believe in yourself’," she added.
From there, the 26-year-old Shaw said she continued to put in the work, both on and off the field until her performances came together.
“I put the comments from both Lucy and Raheem together and it made sense. I told myself to continue working and watching the videos, see how I could improve my game and seeing how best I can help the team. By doing that, it helped a little better day-by-day. Couple of weeks later I called Raheem and said, ‘it’s working!’ He was laughing and said, ‘I told you, you’ve just got to believe in yourself and do all the right things and focus on you first and foremost before you can focus on anything else’," Shaw shared.
Although her 2023/24 campaign was cut short due to a broken foot, Shaw will finish the campaign with 22 goals and five assists. And she credits her sparkling City success to her dedication on the City Football Academy training pitch.
“I just kept at it and believing in myself. The confidence comes from scoring goals and as the games come, I’m thriving," she ended.
Girona 4-2 Barcelona: Hosts secure Champions League football while ending Blaugrana's title hopes
Girona beat Barcelona 4-2 to secure Champions League qualification and gift Real Madrid their 36th LaLiga title.
Madrid, who have lost only once in the league this season, hold a 13-point advantage over second-placed Girona, while Barca dropped to third after Saturday's loss.
The victory saw Girona seal European football for the first time in their history.
A brace from substitute Portu helped LaLiga's surprise package Girona to humble their Catalan rivals.
Andreas Christiansen scored in the third minute to give Barca the lead but Girona hit back a minute later, with LaLiga's top scorer Artem Dovbyk heading in the equaliser.
Robert Lewandowski put the visitors back ahead from the penalty spot just before the break.
However, in his first action after coming off the bench, Portu restored parity before Miguel Gutierrez scored from a rebound two minutes later to turn the match on its head.
And that paved the way for a stunning volley from Portu in the 74th minute to secure the win.
Real Madrid's LaLiga joy must be 'contained' ahead of Bayern meeting
Carlo Ancelotti knows Real Madrid's LaLiga title celebrations must be "contained" as they prepare to take on Bayern Munich.
Madrid were crowned LaLiga champions for a record-extending 36th time on Saturday, after Barcelona lost 4-2 to Girona.
The Blaugrana's defeat followed on from Madrid beating Cadiz 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham and Joselu were on target for Los Blancos, whose coach Ancelotti knows restraint is needed in his team's celebrations, with the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern coming up on Wednesday.
"It's obviously a contained joy, because the most important game of the season is also very close, but we have to be happy," Ancelotti told Movistar Plus+ before the Barca game had been played.
"These games are difficult to prepare for, because you have Wednesday on your mind. But so far it's been spectacular, our team was steady, with hardly any mistakes. The advantage we have is well deserved.
"A big part [of Madrid's success] was achieved when we started to defend better, with a collective commitment.
"The effort put by the players up front was great, but the injuries early in the season helped us to realise that it wasn't about individuals but putting on a collective effort, and we did great."
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, Ancelotti said: "We are very good. It is the seventh victory in a row in the League, a spectacular one as a whole.
"We are very close to winning it and I think we are going to do it with merit.
"It is a celebration taking into account what has to happen on Wednesday. We are all happy with the match, but let's think about Bayern."
Thibaut Courtois, meanwhile, returned from his long injury lay-off to feature for the first time this season.
Ancelotti added: "Thibaut is a very important piece for this team, although [Andriy] Lunin has had a spectacular season and that is a lot of credit to Andriy. But Courtois has returned very well and was decisive. He is doing very well."
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