Not so long ago, Celtic dreaded heading to Hampden. It had become their torture chamber, losing a number of high profile games there over a spell of about five years. Things have changed, though. Scotland’s national stadium has become the Hoops’ throne, the place where they have been coronated champions twice in the past year. Three times if they win on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side will face Motherwell in the final of the Scottish League Cup this weekend, with the first silverware of the season up for grabs. Of course, this trophy marked the start of a historic campaign for the Hoops last term, indicating the achievements that were to follow. It could act as a similar marker this time around as well.
To be frank, Celtic are so far ahead of the chasing pack in Scotland it’s difficult to envisage how Motherwell can possibly overturn them on Sunday. The Steelmen might have beaten Aberdeen and Rangers on their way to the final, but the team they will come up against at Hampden is of an altogether different, higher, standard.
Rodgers is still to lose a domestic fixture as Celtic manager, a run which illustrates the true nature of Celtic’s supremacy in Scotland right now. There have been signs of complacency in recent weeks, but that has put down, by many, to the distraction posed by their participation in the Champions League. In a cup final, their focus will almost certainly be there. That is a daunting prospect for Motherwell.
So can anyone in Scotland beat Celtic? Scott Sinclair recently raised the possibility that only the Hoops can beat themselves, whether that be through an off-performance or misfortune. “That’s it, because what we’ve achieved is down to us,” said the former Aston Villa and Manchester City winger. “We want to raise the bar, keep winning and make sure it doesn’t stop now.
“It is down to mentality and the squad wants to do well. We need to keep improving and not get complacent. We really have just looked at things game by game and now we have beaten the record we want to go on and keep breaking our own record. It’s great and the run just shows the team spirit, the hard work we have put in and the mentality we have. This is a squad that wants to win and it’s a great achievement for the club to get this run. But right now, I don’t think we really understand what we have achieved.”
The gap between Celtic and the rest is perhaps best illustrated by the attacking options both Rodgers and Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson will have at Hampden this weekend. No striker has scored more goals in this season’s League Cup than Louis Moult. He is considered the best centre forward in Scotland, besides the two that Celtic alternate between - Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths.
It’s not that Celtic are untouchable, Aberdeen gave them a good game in the Scottish Cup final last season. They have dropped points, even at home, at various points this season, with Griffiths’ stunning free kick the only difference between the Hoops and lowly Ross County on Saturday. But when it matters, Celtic come out on top. Rodgers has instilled a winning mentality that saw them clinch a historic Treble last season. Victory this weekend would suggest that the Northern Irishman and his side are on course to repeat the achievement.
