Rangers' Borna Barisic lifts lid on his pact with Michael Beale and what he learned from last Celtic cup final

Rangers full back Borna Barisic knows that playing better than Celtic is one thing but beating them is quite another.

There have been times in recent years when the Parkhead side have blown their Ibrox rivals away. Barisic is painfully aware of this. The full back has been subjected to some fierce criticism personally on a couple of occasions, most notably last season’s pivotal 3-0 defeat for Rangers in a delayed New Year Old Firm derby.

But Barisic has also learned that those times when the Ibrox team have been firmly in the zone is no guarantee of success either. The 2019 League Cup final is a case in point.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Most pundits and fans alike felt Rangers probably deserved to win, but Celtic, aided by a superb performance from goalkeeper Fraser Forster and a heavily disputed winner from Christopher Jullien lifted their tenth successive domestic trophy.

Borna Barisic Is promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic on Sunday from 2pm. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Borna Barisic Is promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic on Sunday from 2pm. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Borna Barisic Is promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic on Sunday from 2pm. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Over three years on it still fills the Croatian with regret as he prepares for a second chance at Hampden Park this weekend, when the same teams meet at the same stage of the same competition.

“The lesson is this,” he said. “It’s not about a pretty game. It’s not about who has played better, it’s just about winning. We can talk now about how we played better, which is true. But they won the trophy and we didn’t, so it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is winning the trophy on Sunday. This way, or another way.

“I hope we have learned from the last time,” he added. “We knew that before, but when you experience that on your skin then you figure out that the only thing that is important is winning the game. As you can see we are still talking about this game, three years after. It doesn’t matter that we played well, they won the trophy.”

Barisic is enjoying his football again under Michael Beale and has revealed the pair struck a pact after their delayed reunion. When the manager’s return to Ibrox was confirmed in November, Barisic was at the World Cup in Qatar. He made his first appearance under Beale in Rangers’ 3-0 win over Motherwell shortly after Christmas.

“I had a conversation,” he said. “It was a like a 15 or 20-minute conversation about everything. Not only about football. We made some deals. That’s true. I have a very good relationship with him and that’s a big help to me.

“I feel good, I feel motivated, I feel comfortable. The way the manager gives me some things – I won’t tell you what, it’s behind the doors – means I am trying to give him it back on the pitch. I think that’s way how it should be.”

Barisic believes Rangers are reaching 2020-21 title-winning levels of consistency after 13 wins in 14 games under Beale. The Ibrox side recovered from that agonising defeat to Celtic in the League Cup final to win the championship the following season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’s close,” he said. “But it’s still not like that. I cannot say that we are in that mood. But how could we be after one or two months (under Beale). But I’ve said before is that I can feel we are on that train, you know? That we are very close to that point. As I said many times, results show everything but we are in a very good way just now.”

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.