DEDRYCK Boyata would have even more reason than most at Celtic to be bitter over last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Rangers at Hampden, given he picked up an injury in the first half of the match that ended his season, rubbing salt into the already painful wound of the defeat.
The fact that the clubs have been drawn together again at the same stage of the competition this season would seem to offer the perfect chance of redemption, but the Belgian defender isn’t one for revenge.
Instead, he is more interested in helping Celtic to prepare the same way that they have done for the previous meetings between the sides this year, in which his side have triumphed on three occasions and drawn once.
“We are not going to start thinking of redemption,” Boyata told the Celtic View.
“It’s easy to compare to last year due to the fact that we lost the game at the same stage. But last season was last season and this is a new season.
“It’s a new game for us, and we will gear up for it like we did the previous four games against them this season and we will prepare well.
“All the players are ready to give 100 percent for the badge, just like we have in the other derby games.
“We know the importance of the game, there is no doubt about that, and we will give everything to make everyone proud of us.”
Boyata has meanwhile revealed that the feeling he got this season when the title win was confirmed at Tynecastle was also very different to the last campaign, after the 26-year-old worked hard to play his way back into manager Brendan Rodgers’s plans to make a valuable contribution to the achievement.
“Being on the pitch when we won the game to win the title definitely feels different,” he said. “When you’re injured and out the team, even though you played many games beforehand, it’s not the same feeling.
“At the beginning of the season I had my injury and was outside the squad, but that’s now in the past and I’m not thinking about that. I’m focused on playing as many games as I can , playing as well as I can and staying fit.
“It feels very good to be part of the team and to win the title. Everything is in a good way for myself. Since January I have played a lot of games and it feels good, but the season isn’t finished.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here