Thursday 14 April 2016 21:13, UK
Rangers defender Dominic Ball has had to disappoint his friends ahead of his Old Firm debut after admitting he could not get them tickets.
The on-loan Tottenham youngster is looking forward to his first taste of Glasgow derby action when Mark Warburton's side face Celtic in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, live on Sky Sports.
The 20-year-old has already helped the Light Blues win the Scottish Championship, as well as claiming silverware in the Petrofac Training Cup final with a 4-0 win over Peterhead.
But Ball has been unable to accommodate all those eager to attend the Old Firm contest, such has been the demand for tickets.
"Sunday is probably going to be the biggest game of the season - the biggest game of my life - so I am going to relish it and go out and do a job," he said.
"As soon as the draw was made I had 40 or 50 people asking me for tickets. I had to say I would see what I could do but my family comes first and I couldn't promise them anything.
"Everyone wants special people around them to be there and for me that is my family, my girlfriend, my close friends. I think I will have enough to satisfy those needs but not everybody."
Rangers boss Mark Warburton looks set to hand Ball the responsibility of anchoring Gers' midfield in the hope he can curb Celtic's threat from deep.
Patrick Roberts will be one of the Hoops players he will have to keep an eye out for, with the on-loan Manchester City entertainer having made a big impression in recent weeks.
"I have seen little bits of Celtic this season when they are on and we are not playing and I think we have a real good chance," he added.
"I think I've played against Patrick Roberts in a reserve game when he was back at Manchester City. He is a very good player but we have got very good players as well, so we will see.
"I have seen them have good games, I have seen them have bad games, so I guess whatever team up turns up or not on the day will be the team that wins."
Spurs trainee Ball also feels Celtic will push Rangers in ways they have not experienced on their way to the second-tier crown title this season.
"I just think it is that intensity, that constant pressure they will bring," added the 20-year-old.
"Sometimes it gets to 70 minutes at 0-0 and we know we are going to win because the other team is going to drop off.
"But I think that is going to be different, they will be as fit as us and it is going to be the challenge of quality now."
Ball may not have experienced the white-hot heat of an OId Firm scrap before but he knows the importance of keeping emotion in check as Gers bid to land a trophy treble.
"It is important to deal with our emotions individually and as a team," he said. "You don't want anyone sent off. We just want to go out and play our football, get our job done and win.
"I won two medals in the space of five days last week and that is why I came to Rangers. It is a big club.
"Our targets were set at the start of the season and to now have two trophies too is brilliant. But we want a third."
Watch Rangers v Celtic on Sunday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports 2 HD at 11am.
