Ange Postecoglou: Rangers can show Celtic respect without guard of honour
Celtic's game against Rangers is their first since securing back-to-back titles; the Ibrox side are yet to beat their Old Firm rivals this season; the final meeting of the season is live on Sky Sports on Saturday; kick-off 12.30pm
Saturday 13 May 2023 19:21, UK
Ange Postecoglou insists he does not need a guard of honour at Ibrox to know that Rangers respect Celtic.
Saturday's Old Firm clash will be the first game since the Hoops secured back-to-back title wins but Michael Beale has confirmed they would not perform the tribute before kick-off, believing it "wouldn't be the right thing to do."
Postecoglou told Sky Sports News he sees the gesture as "symbolic" and believes there is respect between the Glasgow rivals.
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"It's no big deal for me, those things tend to be symbolic more than anything real," he said.
"Respect is shown in different ways and I don't need a guard of honour to know that. There's respect between the two sides and certainly between the two sets of players.
"It might be grudging but they know how hard it is to be successful. Rangers won it two years ago and we have won it the last two years so that respect is there and we don't need a guard of honour for that."
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The title race may be over but Celtic have the chance to go a whole season unbeaten against Rangers and Postecoglou feels their trip to Ibrox presents the chance to give their supporters another memorable moment.
Celtic have beaten their city rivals twice at Hampden Park this season as well as taking seven points in the league and Beale is under pressure to get one over on his opposite number for the first time.
"It's still a big game against our rivals, I'm sure our supporters will want us to put on a strong performance and it's a chance to continue our form and finish the season strongly.
"We'll put out a team we think will win the game for us but it gives us a chance to look at next year and look at things we want to do and give some guys some game time, but against that backdrop we want to win the game and will put [out] a line-up we can think can do that.
"We had it at our ground (with no away support) and when Rangers scored it all went a bit quiet so it's not something you usually associate with these big games.
"Hopefully we can quieten it down a little bit in our own way, but I still think it'll be a great atmosphere and you know Ibrox is always a ground where it's tough to get a result."
Midfielder Aaron Mooy is a doubt for the trip to Ibrox but striker Kyogo Furuhashi is fit having been forced off with a shoulder injury after scoring against Hearts last weekend.
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