Nikola Jelavic sends message to Rangers players ahead of Celtic clash
Nikola Jelavic wants Rangers to win against Celtic on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership but feels even a draw won’t be a bad result.
The Gers are trailing the league leaders by three points, and surely the title race will be over if they suffer an Old Firm defeat.
Rangers lost 3-0 at Celtic Park earlier this season, but Jelavic is confident that there’s still time to reduce the gap.
“All I can say to the players this week is just play your best because this game means so much to the supporters and the club, especially this season,” said Jelavic to The Daily Record.
“The team is behind in the league so we have to win but I’m sure Gio’s players are aware of this and will be on fire.
“On Sunday, it’s a really important game but it’s not like Rangers have to win. There are still another six games to play so what’s most important is not to lose.
“If you lose, the gap will grow and it will be tough for Rangers to catch Celtic. A win would be great but a draw means you’re still in it.”
Must win
While Jelavic might think that a draw would still be a decent result, in truth this is a must-win game for the Gers.
With the big European quarter-final fixture coming up, the last thing the Bears need is to lose the grip on the title race when they had the chance to take control of their destiny into their own hands.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side have been particularly impressive in European games so far, and they have often struggled to match the same intensity in the league.
Rangers have allowed the Bhoys to come back into the race, and now they must close the gap on Sunday and take control of the league once again.
The Gers are heading into this match on the back of a 2-1 win over Dundee, where Aaron Ramsey scored his first league goal for the club.
Both Ramsey and Alfredo Morelos are big doubts for the clash on Sunday.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has shared his reaction to a ‘huge’ development at Ibrox in the past month