Celtic-Rangers 'talk is cheap' riposte fired as squad prepare for new team-mates and Euro draw

On Thursday, Celtic will discover their Champions League opponents and then on Friday, the transfer window closes. Then on Sunday, it's the first Old Firm derby of the season when Rangers visit Parkhead. Win that match and Celtic will go into the international break already five points clear of their arch rivals at the top of the Premiership.

McGregor, of course, has seen it all before, but the 31-year-old goes into the next few days with relish. "Yeah, it's an exciting week," he said. "But for sure, the full focus will be on the game, and then we as players just have to let everything else fall into place. we train as hard as we can this week, and what we can affect is the game next Sunday, so that's where our focus will be."

McGregor tries to make sure very little changes in the build-up to facing Rangers. "Nothing really, to be honest," he replied if when asked if the role of skipper alters ahead of the game. "Everyone knows how big the games are and when they come around, you probably don't need any added motivation for it.

Callum McGregor will lead out Celtic against Rangers on Sunday. | SNS Group

"But for us, we have a structure and a system and the way that we want to train first and foremost. We try and get the most amount out of the players as possible. And if that becomes a daily habit, then when you arrive in the big moments, then it should be second nature for you.

"So again, you have to have a little bit of emotion and emotion is good in football a lot of the time it's, you know, here's the structure, if we do this a lot of the time, then, you know, the probability is you'll have a good day.

"So it's as much about trying to keep the players calm. Obviously, when we arrive to the game then, like I spoke about there, the emotion is important, because you need that, especially in these types of fixtures. But for most of the week, it's just business as usual."

Rangers manager Philippe Clement has vowed "not to park the bus" at Celtic Park and claimed they were "really close" to the eventual Scottish Cup and league winners last term. Such claims will not be pinned to the home dressing room come Sunday morning. "It's just talk isn't it - and talk's cheap," was McGregor's take on the matter.

McGregor says that 'talk is cheap' in the build-up to a derby. | SNS Group

He may well have some new team-mates to introduce to the occasion, with Celtic expected to be active in the transfer window right up to Friday's 11pm deadline. There are riches to spend after Matt O'Riley's £25 million move to Brighton was confirmed on Monday.

"You know, when you lose two or three bodies, especially quality ones, then you have to try and replace them with, if not the same quality, then can we try and help the group as much as we can," said McGregor. "We've lost a few so it's important that we try and replace that.

"I think we have to trust the people in the positions to do the job. And that's the one thing that the club's been good at. We all trust each other. So from my end, there's no worries. And hopefully when we get to the end of the week, then we'll be where we need to be."